Mysuru: Bamboo baskets and rented iron poles are being used to support decorative lights across Mysuru as the city prepares for Dasara 2026, following objections from environmentalists over the practice of fixing electric lights and wires to roadside trees.
The alternative arrangements are being adopted by authorities and contractors involved in the annual Dasara illumination. The move is intended to protect trees while allowing the city to retain its traditional festive appearance during the celebrations.
Dasara illumination is one of the major visual attractions of the festival, with important roads and public spaces decorated with colourful LED bulbs and string lights. However, the practice of attaching lighting systems directly to trees had drawn objections from environmental activists.
Bamboo baskets used along Krishnaraja Boulevard
One of the prominent alternative arrangements can be seen along Krishnaraja Boulevard, where bamboo baskets have been installed to hold the lighting.
Around 3,000 bamboo baskets are being used along both sides of the road and on the median. The baskets have been sourced from bamboo markets and are being fashioned into lightweight structures capable of supporting the decorative lighting.
Krishnaraja Boulevard is expected to see considerable pedestrian movement during the Dasara season. The nearby Maharaja’s College Grounds will host the Aahaara Mela, increasing the importance of illumination and other public arrangements along the road.
The use of bamboo structures provides contractors with a way to install the lights without directly attaching wires or lighting sets to trees.
Environmentalists had objected to lighting trees
The change in the method of installing Dasara lights follows protests from environmental activists.
According to the report, environmentalists had objected to electric bulbs and string lights being wrapped around roadside trees. In some instances, activists reportedly removed lighting that had been fixed to trees.
The concerns centre on the potential damage that wires, fixtures and other materials can cause when attached directly to tree trunks and branches.
Following the objections, officials instructed contractors not to use trees for installing the decorative illumination.
The revised arrangements have resulted in the use of temporary structures, including bamboo baskets and iron pipes, at several locations across Mysuru.
Environmentalists have welcomed the move, viewing the alternative arrangements as a way to maintain Dasara illumination without placing lighting equipment directly on trees.
Iron poles provide another lighting solution
Apart from bamboo baskets, slender iron pipes are being installed at various locations to support the festive lighting.
The pipes are approximately 30 feet high and are being erected specifically for the illumination work. The structures are being rented for the Dasara period, providing a temporary support system that can be removed after the festival.
The use of rented poles also allows lighting contractors to avoid making permanent changes to roadsides and other public spaces.
The poles can support wires and serial lighting sets at the required height, allowing decorative illumination to be spread across roads without depending on roadside trees.
The temporary nature of these structures is particularly useful during Dasara, when large parts of Mysuru are decorated for a limited period.
Dasara illumination to continue across Mysuru
Mysuru is known for its elaborate illumination during Dasara, with major roads, circles and public spaces decorated as part of the festival.
The lighting forms part of the broader preparations undertaken by the Mysuru City Corporation, district administration and various Dasara committees.
With the festival approaching, contractors are working to complete the illumination arrangements before the major events draw large crowds.
This year, the emphasis on avoiding trees has added an environmental consideration to the installation process. Instead of simply attaching lights to existing roadside infrastructure, contractors are being required to use alternative supports.
The approach also demonstrates how temporary structures can be integrated into large public celebrations without relying on trees as fixed points for electrical installations.
Bamboo provides a lightweight temporary structure
Bamboo baskets are particularly suited to temporary arrangements because they are lightweight and can be assembled into structures to hold lighting equipment.
Along Krishnaraja Boulevard, the large number of baskets being installed indicates the scale of the illumination work planned for the area.
The use of bamboo also gives the lighting arrangements a different visual element while serving a practical purpose.
The baskets are not being used as permanent infrastructure. They are temporary supports created for the Dasara illumination period and can be dismantled once the festival-related lighting is removed.
Protecting trees during festival preparations
The decision to avoid trees comes as Mysuru prepares for a festival that attracts large crowds and requires extensive temporary infrastructure.
Roadside trees are an important part of the city’s urban landscape. Avoiding the use of trees as supports for electrical wiring can reduce the need for physical fixtures around trunks and branches.
The move also responds directly to concerns raised by environmental groups.
While decorative illumination remains an important part of the Dasara experience, the revised method allows authorities to balance the visual requirements of the festival with concerns about protecting existing greenery.
The use of bamboo baskets and iron poles therefore represents a change in the way Dasara lighting is being installed this year.
Mysuru prepares for Dasara 2026
The alternative lighting arrangements are among several preparations under way in Mysuru ahead of Dasara 2026.
The festival will bring cultural programmes, food fairs, public events and the traditional Vijayadashami celebrations to the city. Major roads and public areas are expected to experience increased pedestrian and vehicle movement during the festival period.
The Aahaara Mela at Maharaja’s College Grounds is one of the events expected to draw visitors, making illumination along surrounding roads particularly important.
As preparations continue, contractors are working on the lighting infrastructure while following the instruction to keep trees free from electrical fixtures.
A shift towards temporary lighting infrastructure
The use of bamboo baskets and rented iron poles marks a shift from conventional methods of fixing decorative lights to roadside trees.
For environmentalists, the change addresses a specific concern raised ahead of the festival. For the administration and contractors, the temporary structures provide practical alternatives for supporting thousands of lights.
The success of the arrangement during the 2026 Dasara season could also provide a model for future festival illumination, particularly where large-scale temporary lighting is required in areas with substantial tree cover.
The immediate priority, however, remains completing the illumination work ahead of the major Dasara events while ensuring that the city’s trees are not used as supports.
Conclusion
Mysuru’s Dasara illumination is taking an alternative route this year, with around 3,000 bamboo baskets and 30-foot iron poles being used to support decorative lights instead of roadside trees. The change follows objections from environmentalists and instructions to contractors to avoid fixing lights and wires to trees.