Karnataka CM Shivakumar says Mysuru Dasara will be held on grand scale over 11 days

Bengaluru, Jul 10 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said this year’s Mysuru Dasara would be celebrated on a grand scale over 11 days, with several new programmes reflecting the state’s diverse cultural traditions. He ruled out scaling down Dasara because of the drought-like situation in the state. The CM chaired a preliminary meeting on Dasara 2026, which is celebrated as the ‘Nada Habba’ (state festival). Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he outlined the festival schedule. According to it, the world-famous ‘Jamboo Savari’ — a procession of about a dozen caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and the Mysuru royal family, on a 750-kg gold-covered howdah, or “Ambari” — will take place on October 21. He said the Dasara inauguration was scheduled for October 11 at 11.50 am. Stating that several suggestions had been received during the meeting, Shivakumar said a working committee would be formed shortly to oversee the Dasara celebrations. “One of the suggestions was to organise an air show this year. Since this requires approval from the central government, we will submit a formal request. The committee has entrusted me with the decision on who should inaugurate Dasara. I will discuss the matter and make an appropriate decision,” he added. Emphasising that Mysuru Dasara is a historic and traditional festival and a matter of pride for Karnataka, Shivakumar said that every year the festival evolves with new ideas and innovations. “We will organise programmes that reflect our culture while meeting international standards. It would not be appropriate to reduce the grandeur of our cultural heritage merely to save some money because of the drought-like situation,” he said. “There is absolutely no question of cancelling Dasara or celebrating it in a simple manner because of this,” he added. The CM urged political parties not to politicise the formation of the organising committee. “We are not interested in politics over the committee, nor is there any need for it. We want to take everyone along. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah successfully conducted this festival during his years in office,” he said. “Our cabinet colleagues, such as G Parameshwara, K J George and Yathindra Siddaramaiah, have suggested that we continue and further improve the celebrations. A grand celebration does not simply mean spending more money — it means preserving our traditions while introducing fresh ideas,” he added. Responding to a question on new features in this year’s celebrations, Shivakumar said the government was examining the various traditions practised across Karnataka. “Several suggestions have been received, and we will assess their feasibility. The proposals relate to international music performances, sporting events and programmes based on Hindu traditions. All decisions will be made after discussions with my colleagues,” he added. PTI KSU SSK