Dasara Fair

Dasara is also called navarathri in different parts of India, nine days of worship and festivity ends on the tenth day “Vijaydashmi”. In Mysore, the festival is popularly known as Dasara Fair or Mysore Dassara and has been declared as ‘Naada Habba’ or the State festival of karnatka.

The festival is mainly celebrated to mark the victory of Good over evil as Mysore was the residential place of the demon Mahisasura, who was killed by the Goddess Chamundeshwari (Chamundi) on vijaydashmi. Therefore the festival is celebrated every year with high festive spirits in honor of Goddess Chamundi.The Dasara Fair is celebrated on a grand scale in the city of “maharajas”- Mysore and attracts tourist from all over the world. During 10 days of festival, the entire city turns into the dazzlingly illuminated stunning place with large crowd from far long areas to witness this grandiose event.

Many exciting programs like film festival, sports and wrestling, air show, food mela, Dasara exhibition are organized at different locations for 10 days. The festival is concluded on the 10th day with a mega event, the vijaydashmi procession.

 

Celebrations

 

Many ceremonies are also held privately in royal families of Mysore during this festival for 10 days but only selected audience get the chance to witness these imperial ceremonies. Mainly ceremonies include ascend of the royal scion to the golden throne in presence of family members and priests, according to religious instructions.

The ceremonies include ceremonial bath of His Highness, worship of the family deity and sacred planets and presenting of royal sword to His Highness in the presence of 21 gun salute. After sitting on the royal throne king receives all royal guests and various programs of dance and music are presented before him, in order to respect him.

 

These royal ceremonies are repeated for nine days along with these many different events are planned like acrobatic feats, wrestling bouts by champion wrestlers, fireworks, air show, food fair etc and are open for general public to enjoy the grand festivity at Amba Vilas Palace. 

 

Jumbo Sawari- The Vijaydashmi Procession

The glorious fiesta concludes with the magnificent Jamboo Sawari which has gained popularity all over the world.

 

Jumbo sawari is mainly the procession of Caparisoned elephants accompanied by beautifully decorated horses and camels, folk dancers, music bands and golden howdah carrying the royal deity Chamundeshwari. The grandiose procession begins from the Mysore Palace and ends at Bannimantap where the banni tree (Prosopis spicigera) is worshipped.

Torch-Light Parade

The famous Dasara festival ends on vijaydashmi night on a grand note with a torch light Parade at Bannimantap. The parade is also known as Panjina Kavayatthu. The parade is witnessed by thousands of visitors. The parade is followed by exotic fire works, which truly add another attraction to the fair.

Floating Festival

Floating festival is also celebrated in the temple tank at the foot of Chamundi Hill