Dasara Elephants playing at Bannimantapa Mysore Dasara 2018 || Mysore Dasara Elephants

Mysore Dasara 2018 Rehearsal of elephants for Jambu savari from Mysore Palace to Bannimantapa. Mysore Dasara is the ‘Naada Habba’ (State festival) of Karnataka State,
Mysuru Dasara is a 10-day long festival, popular among people from all over the world. Mysuru, or Mahishur as it was called in the past, traces its history back to the mythical past, when Goddess Chamundeshwari of Chamundi Hill, killed the wicked buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura. This event that marked the victory of Good over Evil is the inspiration behind the Dasara festivities.
Mysuru’s most famous festival is the 10 day Dasara, The city of Mysuru has a long tradition of celebrating the Dasara festival and the festivities here are an elaborate affair and attract a large audience from all over the world.
Festivities were first started by the Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I (1578-1617 CE) in the year 1610. The Mysuru Palace is lit up on all the 10 days of Dasara. The festivities begin with the Wadiyar royal couple performing a special puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari in the Chamundi Temple located on the top of Chamundi Hill at Mysuru. This would be followed by a special durbar (royal assembly). It was during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III in the year 1805, when the king started the tradition of having a special durbar in the Mysuru Palace during Dasara, which was attended by members of the royal family, special invitees, officials and the masses. The ninth day of Dasara called as Mahanavami is also an auspicious day on which the royal sword is worshipped and is taken on a procession involving elephants, camels and horses.
n Vijayadashami, the traditional Dasara procession (locally known as Jamboo Savari) is held on the streets of Mysuru city. The main attraction of this procession is the idol of the Goddess Chamundeshwari which is placed in a golden howdah on the top of a decorated elephant. This idol is worshipped by the royal couple and other invitees before it is taken around in the procession. Colourful tableaux, dance groups, music bands, armed forces, folklores, the royal identities, decorated elephants, horses and camels form a part of the procession which starts from the Mysuru Palace and culminates at a place called Bannimantap, where the Banni tree (Prosopis spicigera) is worshipped. According to a legend of the Mahabharata, Banni tree was used by the Pandavas to hide their arms during their one-year period of Agnatavasa (living life incognito). Before undertaking any warfare, the kings traditionally worshipped this tree to help them emerge victorious in the war. The Dasara festivities would culminate on the night of Vijayadashami with an event held in the grounds at Bannimantap called as Panjina Kavayithu (torch-light parade).


Mysore tourism and Mandya tourism offer other places of interest such as the Venugopal Swamy Temple at KRS Backwater, Guinness World Record Sea Shell Art Museum , Rail Museum Mysore, Guinness World Record Bonsai Garden at Mysore || Kishkindha Moolika Bonsai Garden, Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalya at Wellington house, Mysore || National museum || IGRMS, Ancient Kikkeri Brahmeshvara temple at KR Pete, Arkeshwara Temple on the banks of River Kaveri at Yedatore, Krishnarajanagar Taluk, BallurKatte falls ,Chunchanakatte falls, Ganalu Falls, Edmuri falls and Balmuri falls, Gaganachukki Falls, hydro electric power project at Shivanasamudra Falls, Wellesley Bridge, old stone bridge Lushington bridge, Bheemeshwari,1200 years old Marehalli Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Marehalli, Malavalli, Ruins of Panchalingeshwara Temple at Somanathapura, Unknown stone carved ruin temple at Somanathapura, oldest Dam in Karnataka || 900 years old Madhavmantri Dam, Melukote Akka Thangi kola , Raya Gopura at Melukote , Melukote Kalyani, Dhanushkoti at Melukote, Gumbaz - Tomb of Tippu Sultan, temples of Talakadu. Talakadu is one of the Pancha Narayana Kshetrams,18 feet tall Ancient Bahubali statue at KRS backwaters, Basadihalli, the Sri Narayana Swamy temple at Anandur, Basaralu ancient Mallikarjuna temple, Arethippur Mandya, 1200 years old excavated jain basadi || Kanakagiri, Excavated Ancient statue of Bhagawan Bahubali at Arethippur, Hulikere Tunnel Gommatagiri -heritage jain center, Somanathapura Hoysala temple, Muthathi forest, Bheemeshwari Cauveri fishing camp.
Mysore tourism offers other places such as Brindavan Garden, , Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Balmuri Falls,Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysore Zoo, Chamundi hills , St. Philomena's Church,Karanji Lake.The Blue Lagoon, Big Banyan Tree Mysore , Basadi Hosakote Jain Temple, Dornahalli Church, Sagarakatte Bridge .