Mysore Dasara Part 3

Dasara events

Mysore getting decked up for Dasara 2019

During the Dasara festival, artists as well as tourists throng to the city to participate and also to witness the diverse events and celebrations across the city. These eclectic combinations of events encompassing  air (helicopter ride), earth (car rallies and other cultural festivals) and water (water sports) delight the spectators and invite them to enjoy events and activities, otherwise long forgotten.

The events organized at different parts of the city and venues include various music and dance programs by well-known artists across the country, folk program performed by famous folk artists and other youth cultural programs organized and performed by youngsters and students. Other such events are Heritage car rally, kite flying, Helicopter ride, water sports, Food fair, Flower show, mud wrestling, Yoga, Art and crafts exhibition and many more.

Food festival is a major attraction to tourists where they can taste local as well as food from other India states. Tribal food is the highlight of this event as such foods which are otherwise not easily available are prepared fresh particularly for this fair by tribal group from different hamlets and remote villages. Various rare greens, tubers and bamboo are some of the main ingredients of these dishes. However, the food festival is not limited to tribal and local food, it also serves contemporary delights as well.

Mud wrestling is an ancient art which has always been an integral part of India as well as a highlight during the Dasara festival. The Nada Kushthi aims to rekindle, inspire and encourage youngsters to take up this sport and keep it alive. These 6 days event witnesses wrestlers - youth, men, women, differently-able – compete with each other for the coveted final winner title.

Tourists, yoga teachers and students visit Mysore during the Dasara to take part in the Dasara Yoga festival. Mysore is also famous globally for its very own style of Modern yoga, namely Mysore Yoga. Irrespective of caste, creed, colour and country, yoga aficionados from all over the world come together to perform different yoga-asanas and Surya-namaskars especially during the Dasara Yoga event.

Though all the events are dazzling and magnificence, the final day of the festival remains the biggest crowd puller and highlight of the festival. ‘Jamboo Savari’ or the elephant procession, where trained elephants are decked up royally with regalia are taken to the streets. Goddess Chamundeswari, is placed in a golden howdah, atop a splendidly decorated elephant. Colourful tableaux, dance groups, music bands, caparisoned elephants, horses, and camels form a part of the procession. Following this procession is the Torchlight Parade showcasing some daring, dashing equestrian and motorcycle stunts by trained professional. The Dasara event is brought to a close by laser shows and brilliant fire works which light up the sky.