NewsKarnataka-Mysore
Mysore:With just a day left for the much awaited Vijayadashami Jumbo Savari, final rehearsals were held for the grand procession with howdah elephant Arjuna and other Dasara elephants to the sound of cannon fire before the Mysore Palace here on Saturday.
Over 200 artistes from across the state, who have burnt the midnight oil for the past 20 days to come up with 42 creative and colourful tableaux, were busy giving final touches to them during the day.
Meanwhile, hotels reported 70 per cent occupancy with tourists flocking to the city for a ringside view of the procession with its caparisoned elephants.
Monday will see Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offering pooja to the Nandi Dwaja at the Balarama gate of Mysore Palace during the auspicious Makara lagna between 1.12pm and 1.40pm and later flag off the Vijaydashami procession between1.55pm and 2.23pm. Governor Hansraj Bharadwaj will receive the guard of honour during the torchlight parade at the Banni Mantap grounds at 7 pm that evening.
Not only have the number of tableaux increased from 25 to 42 this year, each tableau has cost Rs 4 lakh to Rs 9 lakh to prepare.
While artistes from Bellary, Mysore, Bengaluru urban and Bijapur have designed tableaux depicting the royalty of the state, a team of 20 artistes has created a tableau portraying the SangeethDarbar of Ibrahim Adil Shah.