Mysore: A day before the concluding festivities of Dasara, the Jamboo savari, which ends at the Banni Mantap Mysore, the location witnessed a spectacular  laser light show, Horse and bike stunts, a Fire Parade and a cultural program rehearsal. Police officers from different squads performed breath taking acts.  Also school children from different schools performed a cultural programme.

Why is the Banni Mantap significant?
For over 200 years, the famous Mysore Dasara procession has followed one route – it commences at Mysore Palace and ends at the site of the ‘Banni tree’ (now Bannimantap parade grounds), at the northern part of Mysore. But not many know why the victory procession concludes there and what its significance is.

The festivities first began during the regime of the Vijayanagar kings. After the fall of the dynasty, Raja Wadiyar, then Maharaja of Mysore, continued the celebrations and shifted the venue to Srirangapatna in early 16th century. Two centuries later, the celebration was relocated to Mysore by Krishnaraja Wadiyar III and since 1805, the Dasara festival has been held in Mysore. | Maharajas worshipped weapons and the state sword was sent in a procession of horses, elephants and troops to the Banni tree, where Maharajas hunted wild animals that were specially captured and released for the purpose, reviewed army units and witnessed display of fireworks. Then kings worshipped Banni tree while priests invoked blessings of Banni Mahakali, the goddess of the tree. Also a prayer to the Goddess of Banni tree (Shami Stuti) was chanted. After this the King used to return in a torch-lit procession to the Palace, records Swami Shivapriyananda in his book titled Mysore Royal Dasara.