Alphonso

Dassara Trail

The annual Hindu festival of Dussehra, celebrated all over India on the homecoming of Lord Rama from exile, has a very special version in Mysore. Mysore Dasara celebrates the victory of Truth over Evil; as legend has it the Goddess Chamundeeswari or Durga slew the demon Mahishasuran on Vijayadashami day. The goddess Chamundeeswari is the tutelary deity of the Wodeyar royals of Mysore. The royal family of Mysore performs special pooja on the occasion of Dasara.

The Mysore Dasara has been accorded world-renown simply for its majestic pageantry and regal permutations. The festivities of this annual pageant were shaped by the erstwhile Mysore royals when they were at the height of their power back in the day. But even today one cannot but marvel at the splendour of the 10-day festival which ends with the magnificent procession in the city of the goddess Bhuvaneswari, the patron deity of Karnataka, mounted atop a gaily caparisoned elephant. Twelve trained Dasara elephants are part of this fabulous parade. Thousands of visitors from home and abroad arrive to witness this amazing spectacle and take part in many of the activities around the city over the 10 days of celebration of this auspicious event.

  • Soak up the very special pageantry of the festivities of the world-renowned Mysore Dasara
  • Recap the role of the royal family in creating this magical spectacle
  • Watch traditional activities associated with the festival

We will visit a local home and get to see the display of dolls, known as Bombe Mane, a tradition carried forward by the women of the household. We then follow the crowds to watch a traditional wrestling bout in a sandpit, and cheer on the winners with the rest of the spectators. At night we will marvel at the grand illumination of the Palace and the city as it celebrates Dasara in all its wonder. At the palace nearly Rs. 1 crore every year is spent towards the maintenance of its illumination alone and more than 25,000 bulbs are replaced every year just before the Dasara festivities. As the festival of Dasara is closely associated with many traditional dishes we will visit a local home to try some of the delicacies prepared for the festival.

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