Mysuru Dasara
Royal and Religious Festival · Mysuru, India
The festival
Dasara is the State Day of Karnataka and the great royal rendezvous of Mysuru: ten days of Navratri inherited from the emperors of Vijayanagara and taken over by the maharajas Wodeyar in 1610. The entire city becomes festival — concerts and classical dances in about 100 places, exhibitions, feast of gastronomy, and the Amba Vilas palace illuminated every night by almost 100,000 bulbs.
On the last day, Vijayadashami, the Jamboo Savari procession takes the goddess Chamundeshwari, settled in a golden dais 750 kg on the back of the leading elephant, from the palace to the Bannimantap grounds, between fanfares, horses and folk troops. In 2026, the festival was held from 11 to 21 October (11 days, the lunar calendar having extended it by one day).
Good to know
Dates fixed by the Hindu lunar calendar (Navaratri); the official programme 2026 (Mysuru District Administration) set the opening date for October 11 and the Samvari Jamboo on October 21. Dates 2027 not yet published.