Mangaluru/Udupi: Dasara celebrations and an extended holiday weekend have triggered a major travel rush across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, with heavy traffic, crowded buses and large numbers of devotees and tourists converging on the coastal region. Meanwhile, Mangaluru has transformed into a dazzling spectacle, with decorative lights illuminating temples, roads, junctions and buildings across the city.
The festive rush was evident throughout Saturday, particularly during the evening and night, when traffic congestion affected several major roads and junctions in Mangaluru. The movement of vehicles slowed considerably in areas including M G Road, Kankanady, Nanthoor, Pumpwell, State Bank, Hampankatta, Kottara Chowki, Surathkal, K S Rao Road, Kudroli and Car Street. The congestion also hampered the movement of ambulances, raising concerns over emergency access during peak festive hours.
The extended holiday period has contributed to the surge in travel. Sunday was a holiday, followed by Ayudha Puja on Tuesday and Vijayadashami on Wednesday. Some private establishments had also declared Monday a linking holiday, giving employees a continuous four-day break.
While many residents travelled to their native places to celebrate with their families, others arrived in Mangaluru and Udupi for holidays, sightseeing and temple visits. The combination of local travel, tourist arrivals and festive shopping has added to the pressure on roads and public transport.
Mangaluru glows with dazzling festive lights
The city’s festive appearance has become one of the major attractions of this year’s Dasara celebrations. The Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, Mangaladevi Temple and other shrines dedicated to the Goddess have been adorned with elaborate lighting arrangements, enhancing the grandeur of Navaratri.
Major roads, junctions and commercial buildings are illuminated with decorative lights, drawing residents and visitors who venture out after dusk to admire the displays. Families and groups of friends have been taking night-time drives through the city, while many visitors record videos and create social media reels featuring the illuminated streets and temples.
The Mangaluru City Corporation has arranged decorative lighting at prominent roads and junctions as part of the city’s Dasara preparations. Building owners and members of the public have also illuminated their properties at their own expense, adding to the overall festive atmosphere.
Kudroli, Ladyhill, Lalbagh, M G Road, Navabharath Circle, K S Rao Road, Krishna Bhavan, Car Street and New Chitra Talkies Road, which forms part of the Dasara procession route, are among the locations featuring elaborate overhead lighting displays.
Illuminated trees, roadside installations, decorated buildings and colourful light arrangements have transformed several stretches into attractions in their own right. An illuminated gateway near Pumpwell welcomes visitors entering the city, while Narayana Guru Circle has emerged as another prominent attraction.
The lighting displays complement the religious celebrations, with visitors travelling between temples and illuminated streets during the evenings.
Ten crore miniature lights illuminate the city
Decorative lighting has been installed across an estimated 25-kilometre stretch of Mangaluru, using approximately 10 crore miniature bulbs and other lighting elements, according to the details provided by the organisers and contractors.
The installations include more than two crore pixel lights, one crore nine-watt bulbs, thousands of tube lights and focus lights, along with transformers and hundreds of generators. The illuminated temple towers and surrounding structures feature intricate designs that create a striking spectacle after sunset.
The City Corporation awarded the decorative lighting contract to Geetha Electricals, based in Bolara. The firm’s proprietor, Ashok, said the installation work took approximately a month to complete.
More than 200 workers, including labourers from Assam and surrounding areas of Mangaluru, were involved in putting up the displays. In addition, more than 120 electricians monitor the installations daily to ensure that the lighting remains operational throughout the festivities.
Ashok said the arrangements involved substantial installation and maintenance work. Since the displays are designed specifically for Dasara, the work is undertaken through subcontracting arrangements. When certain lights fail to function properly, sections sometimes have to be removed and installed again.
The scale of the arrangements reflects the effort involved in preparing Mangaluru for its annual Dasara celebrations, when illuminated streets and temples attract visitors from across the coastal region.
Extensive network of roads and temples illuminated
The decorative lighting extends across several important roads, junctions and religious centres within the City Corporation limits.
Among the illuminated stretches are the road from Mangaladevi Temple to Marnamikatte, A B Shetty Circle to Mankistand Cross Road, and the Ramalakshmana Hall–M K Kere Road–Bolara Marigudi Temple–Levell Junction corridor.
Lighting also extends from Bolara Levell Junction to Gujjarakere, along Morgans Gate–Mankistand Road–Jaihind Circle, and from Mangaladevi Temple along Bolara Main Road to Bolara Old Fort Temple.
Other prominent routes include Mangaluru University–Clock Tower–A B Shetty Circle and the stretch connecting Kudroli Temple, Gurji Circle, Narayana Guru Circle, Lalbagh, PVS, Govinda Pai Circle, Hampankatta Circle and surrounding areas.
Further displays have been installed along Hampankatta Circle–GHS Road–Jewellery Lane–Car Street Temple–Ushakiran Hotel–New Chitra–Kudroli Temple.
The decorations also cover Govinda Pai Circle–Dongerkery Temple–New Chitra, Govinda Pai Circle–Mahamayi Temple–Car Street Temple–Sharavu Temple, and New Chitra–Basavanagudi–Ushakiran.
Together, these installations create a broad network of illuminated streets linking several of the city’s major temples and public spaces.
Crowds swell at bus stands and on public transport
The festive rush has also placed considerable pressure on public transport across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Private buses and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses operating from Mangaluru to various destinations were packed with passengers.
Many people working or studying outside their hometowns returned to the coastal region to celebrate Dasara with their families. Bus stands also witnessed a rush of people originally from various North Karnataka districts who have settled in Mangaluru and Udupi for employment and other reasons and were travelling home for the festivities.
Passenger arrivals from Bengaluru increased considerably, contributing to crowded buses and bus stands in Mangaluru, Udupi and Kundapura.
The movement of holidaymakers, returning residents and temple visitors has added to the demand for transport during one of the busiest periods of the festive season.
KSRTC deploys 50 additional buses
To manage the increased passenger movement, Bengaluru KSRTC deployed 50 additional buses to the coastal districts on Friday.
Of these, 33 buses were allocated to the Mangaluru depot, eight to the Udupi depot and nine to the Kundapura depot.
In Mangaluru, 20 buses were being used for package tours, while buses already operating across the two districts continued to serve regular passenger traffic. At that stage, no additional buses had been introduced specifically for travel from Mangaluru, Udupi and Kundapura to other districts.
KSRTC has decided to deploy additional buses during the concluding days of Navaratri, when passenger movement from Bengaluru and other districts is expected to increase further.
The additional services are intended to help accommodate the festive demand and provide more travel options as the holidays progress.
Festive celebrations continue amid traffic concerns
The combination of illuminated temples, decorated roads, religious celebrations and increased tourist arrivals has given Mangaluru a vibrant festive atmosphere. Ucchila, Rajangana in Udupi and the Kudroli temple in Mangaluru have also attracted visitors seeking the blessings of the Navadurga deities.
However, the traffic congestion reported across several parts of Mangaluru highlights the challenges of managing increased vehicle movement during major public celebrations. The reported obstruction to ambulance movement underlines the importance of keeping emergency routes accessible even during peak festive hours.
With the Dasara celebrations continuing and Vijayadashami approaching, the coastal districts are expected to remain busy with devotees, tourists and holiday travellers. The combination of cultural festivities and elaborate lighting has made Mangaluru a major attraction during the season, even as residents and visitors navigate the increased pressure on roads and transport services.