Guide to Mysore Dasara Festival

Mysore Dasara is Dussehra with a difference! The city's royal heritage ensures that the festival is elaborately celebrated on a grand scale. In Mysore, Dussehra honors the Goddess Chamundeswari, who killed the great demon Mahishasur.

In contrast to other parts of India where Dussehra is only celebrated for one day, Mysore Dussehra takes place over the whole 10 days of the Navaratri festival. In 2013, Mysore Dussehra gets underway on October 5 and finishes on October 14.

Mysore Dussehra is celebrated in the regal city of Mysore, in Karnataka. Events take place at various location all over the city, including auditoriums, Mysore Palace, the exhibition grounds opposite Mysore Palace, Maharaja’s College ground, and Chamundi Hill.

Mysore Palace is dazzlingly illuminated by almost 100,000 light bulbs, nightly from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m., during the Dussehra festival. Numerous music and dance performances take place at the Palace and other venues. There's also a food festival, film festival, heritage walk, wrestling competition, and sightseeing to local tourist places.

Another attraction is the Dussehra exhibition, which starts during the festival and continues for around three months. There are stalls selling all kinds of handicrafts, clothing and other ornaments, as well as games and amusement rides. It's held in the Doddakere Maidan exhibition ground opposite Mysore Palace.

However, the main attraction takes place on the last day of the festival. A traditional Dussehra procession (known as Jumboo Savari) winds its way through the streets of Mysore, starting from Mysore Palace and ending in Bannimantap. It features an idol of the Goddess Chamundeshwari, carried atop a lavishly decorated elephant. In the evening, there's a torch-light parade at the Bannimantap grounds on the outskirts of the city. Highlights include fireworks, daredevil stunts on motorcycles, and a laser show.

Download a program of events for each day from the Mysore Dasara website.

Many events that happen as part of Mysore Dussehra are free. However, Gold Cards are also sold. These provide special privileges for tourists such as free entry into 11 tourist places, and premium seats at the grand finale Jumboo Savari procession and torch light parade. The Gold Cards are priced at 7,500 rupees for two people, for the 2012 festival. Tickets are also sold separately for the procession (1,000 and 500 rupees) and the torch light parade (500 rupees). More information is available on the Mysore Dasara website.

Check out these Top 5 Mysore Hotels for All Budgets. The Pai Vista is particularly close to Mysore Palace. The Ashwarya Residency is within walking distance, and the Ginger is also in the vicinity.