Elephants being prepared for Mysuru Dasara celebration
Mysuru: With the countdown beginning for the world-famous Mysuru Dasara celebrations, several developments have drawn attention ahead of the grand festivities.
While police have prohibited the organisation of Mahisha Dasara on Chamundi Hill, allegations have surfaced that gold passes issued for viewing the Jumboo Savari procession are being sold on the black market.
The Mahisha Dasara organising committee had made preparations to hold the event on Chamundi Hill. However, police have restricted the programme at the hill, citing concerns that the gathering could inconvenience tourists and affect law and order during the festival period. The authorities have permitted the committee to conduct the event at Town Hall in Mysuru.
Meanwhile, allegations of the unauthorised sale of gold passes for the Jumbo Savari have raised concerns. Thousands of visitors are expected to gather to witness the grand procession, which features decorated elephants, cultural performances and traditional pageantry. The allegations have brought the distribution and sale of premium viewing passes under scrutiny.
On the preparations front, the second round of cannon-firing rehearsals involving the Dasara elephant squad has been completed successfully. As many as seven cannons were fired in three rounds, with a total of 21 shots fired during the exercise. The elephants remained calm despite the loud explosions, completing the sound acclimatisation exercise without being startled.
In another development, elephant Mahendra has been dropped from the race to become the lead elephant, or captain, of the procession after stopping midway during a rehearsal involving a wooden howdah. Elephants Dhananjaya, Prashantha, Sugreeva and Ekalavya have reportedly performed well during the wooden howdah-carrying practice.
Security arrangements are also being strengthened for the festival. Mysuru Police Commissioner Seema Latkar has said that more than 6,000 police personnel will be deployed to maintain law and order and manage crowds during the celebrations.
Preparations are also underway for the Kambala event being organised as part of Dasara. The selection of buffalo pairs for the traditional coastal Karnataka sport is taking place at Miyaru Jodukere in Karkala taluk of Udupi district.
With security, cultural programmes and elephant rehearsals progressing, the city is gearing up for the festivities amid controversy over the Mahisha Dasara restrictions and allegations concerning gold passes.
This post was last modified on October 10, 2026 1:05 pm