Mysuru: Applications have been invited from poets for the Mysuru Dasara Poets’ Meet 2026, which will be held as part of the annual Dasara celebrations. The five-day literary programme is expected to bring together poets from different parts of Karnataka and provide a platform for Kannada poetry and contemporary literary expression.
An important condition announced for this year’s event is that poets who participated in the Mysuru Dasara Poets’ Meet during the last two years will not be eligible to apply. The selection process will instead focus on poets whose work demonstrates literary maturity and quality.
The initiative is part of the wider cultural programme associated with Mysuru Dasara, one of Karnataka’s most prominent annual festivals. The 2026 celebrations are scheduled to run from October 11 to October 21, with Vijayadashami and the Jamboo Savari scheduled for October 21.
Five-day literary sessions planned
The Poets’ Meet is expected to be organised over five days during the Dasara celebrations, giving selected poets an opportunity to present their works before a wider audience.
Poetry has traditionally formed an important part of Karnataka’s literary and cultural landscape, and the Dasara Poets’ Meet provides a dedicated space for poets to engage with readers and fellow writers.
The programme is also significant because it brings literary activities into the broader cultural framework of Mysuru Dasara. The festival is known for its combination of religious ceremonies, music, dance, folk traditions, exhibitions, sports and other cultural programmes.
The official tourism information on Mysuru Dasara describes the festival as a celebration of Karnataka’s history, heritage and culture, with cultural programmes taking place at various venues across the city.
The inclusion of a multi-day poetry programme adds a literary dimension to these celebrations.
Recent participants excluded from this year’s selection
One of the key features of the 2026 selection process is the decision to exclude poets who have participated in the Poets’ Meet over the previous two years.
The condition is intended to create opportunities for other poets and widen participation in the annual programme. Instead of repeatedly selecting the same writers, the organisers are looking to bring in fresh voices and provide a platform to poets who have not recently appeared at the Dasara event.
A similar eligibility approach was followed for the previous year’s Poets’ Meet. In 2025, entries were invited from poets who had not participated in the Dasara Poets’ Meet during the preceding two years, with applicants asked to submit biodata and copies of their poetry anthology. The selection committee’s decision was final, and applications received after the deadline were not accepted.
The 2026 criteria therefore continue an approach that seeks to balance continuity with wider participation.
Selection to focus on literary quality
The selection of poets will reportedly be based on the maturity and quality of their literary work.
This places the emphasis on the poet’s body of work rather than simply on previous participation in major literary events. The approach could provide an opportunity for emerging and established writers who have not recently featured in the Dasara programme.
For poets, participation in a state-level cultural festival such as Mysuru Dasara can offer valuable exposure. The event attracts visitors and cultural enthusiasts from Karnataka and beyond, giving selected writers an opportunity to present their work in a prominent public setting.
The selection process is therefore expected to attract applications from poets with varied literary backgrounds.
At the same time, the eligibility restriction means that poets who have appeared in the programme in either of the last two years will have to wait before they can seek another opportunity to participate.
Platform for Kannada poetry
The Poets’ Meet is more than a component of the Dasara entertainment programme. It provides a platform for literary expression and reflects the long-standing connection between Mysuru and Kannada literature.
Mysuru has played an important role in Karnataka’s literary and cultural history. The city is home to several educational and cultural institutions and has long been associated with Kannada writers, poets, scholars and artists.
A literary programme conducted during Dasara allows this tradition to reach a much larger public audience.
The five-day format also gives organisers scope to accommodate a wider range of poetic voices and themes. Contemporary poetry can address subjects ranging from personal experiences and relationships to social change, environment, politics, culture and everyday life.
Such diversity can make the event relevant to both established literary audiences and younger readers.
Mysuru Dasara 2026 to feature wide cultural programme
The Poets’ Meet will form part of a much larger Mysuru Dasara celebration this year.
The 2026 festival has been scheduled from October 11 to October 21. The programme will include traditional ceremonies, cultural performances and major public events, culminating in the Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami.
The state government has said that the heritage and cultural traditions of Dasara will remain central to the celebrations.
According to the schedule announced by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, the Dasara festival will be inaugurated on October 11, while the Jamboo Savari floral tribute is scheduled for October 21.
The festival is expected to attract large numbers of visitors to Mysuru, making its cultural programmes an important part of the city’s annual calendar.
Literary events add depth to Dasara celebrations
Mysuru Dasara is internationally recognised for its grand procession, palace illumination and traditional celebrations. However, its cultural programme extends well beyond the Jamboo Savari.
Music, dance, folk arts, exhibitions and literary events provide different ways for audiences to experience Karnataka’s cultural heritage.
The Poets’ Meet contributes to this wider cultural character by placing literature alongside other artistic forms.
For poets, the event can serve as an important meeting point where writers can exchange ideas, share different styles of poetry and interact with audiences. For the public, it provides an opportunity to listen to poetry in a festival environment rather than in a conventional literary setting.
The five-day programme can therefore help bring poetry closer to a broader section of the public.
Opportunity for fresh literary voices
The exclusion of poets who participated during the last two years could make the 2026 event particularly significant for writers who have not previously received a platform at the Dasara Poets’ Meet.
Such a policy can encourage greater diversity in participation and enable organisers to introduce new voices to the audience each year.
It can also encourage poets to continue developing their work while waiting for future opportunities to participate.
The emphasis on maturity and quality in the selection process means applicants are likely to be assessed on the strength of their literary contributions.
For emerging poets, this could provide an important opportunity to gain recognition beyond their immediate literary circles.
Mysuru’s literary tradition gets a festival platform
Mysuru’s association with Kannada literature adds significance to the continuation of the Poets’ Meet.
The city has long been a centre of learning and culture, and its literary institutions have contributed to the growth and promotion of Kannada writing.
Holding the poetry sessions during Dasara connects this literary heritage with one of Karnataka’s most visible cultural celebrations.
It also ensures that literature remains an integral part of the festival at a time when public cultural programmes increasingly include multiple forms of artistic expression.
By inviting new applicants, organisers can potentially ensure that the programme reflects both the richness of Karnataka’s established literary traditions and the changing themes and voices of contemporary poetry.
Applications open ahead of Dasara
With the 2026 Dasara celebrations approaching, the invitation for applications gives poets an opportunity to prepare their submissions and seek a place in the five-day programme.
Applicants should carefully check the eligibility conditions and submission requirements before applying, particularly the restriction concerning participation in the previous two years.
The selection process will ultimately determine which poets are invited to take part in the sessions.
For the organisers, the challenge will be to create a programme that represents a broad range of poetic styles and perspectives while maintaining the literary standards expected of a major Dasara event.
A literary highlight of Dasara 2026
The Mysuru Dasara Poets’ Meet is set to add a strong literary element to the 2026 celebrations. By opening the programme to poets who have not participated in the previous two years, the organisers are creating space for fresh voices while placing emphasis on literary maturity and quality.
The five-day format is expected to give selected poets sufficient space to present their work and interact with audiences.
As Mysuru prepares for the 2026 Dasara festivities, the Poets’ Meet will offer a quieter but equally meaningful expression of the cultural spirit of the festival. The programme can serve as a reminder that Dasara is not only a celebration of spectacle and tradition but also an opportunity to promote Karnataka’s literary and artistic heritage.