Mysuru: Ahead of the 2026 Dasara festivities, senior police officers inspected the Jumboo Savari route aboard the ‘Ambaari’ bus to assess security arrangements and identify possible safety concerns along the procession route.

Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, accompanied by DCP (Law and Order) Dr Harsha Priyamvada and DCP (Crime and Traffic) K.N. Sundar Raj, conducted the inspection as part of preparations for the 11-day Dasara festival.

The officers examined several points along the traditional route of the Jumboo Savari and also checked trees and branches that could potentially come into contact with the Golden Howdah carried by the lead elephant during the Vijayadashami procession.

The inspection comes as Mysuru prepares for Dasara 2026, which is scheduled to be held from October 11 to 21, with the grand Jumboo Savari planned for October 21.

Police inspect Jumboo Savari route

The special officers travelled along the procession route on the ‘Ambaari’ bus to get a closer look at the arrangements required for the grand Dasara procession.

The Jumboo Savari is the centrepiece of the Vijayadashami celebrations, with the procession moving from the Mysuru Palace towards the Bannimantap Parade Grounds.

According to the official Dasara programme, the procession is scheduled to leave the Palace at 4.35 pm on October 21, after the Pushparchane ceremony for Goddess Chamundeshwari in the Golden Howdah.

With large crowds expected along the route, the police inspection focused on identifying possible security and traffic-related challenges before the festival begins.

Tree branches checked for Golden Howdah

One of the important aspects of the inspection was checking trees along the Jumboo Savari route.

Police officers examined whether any branches would need to be pruned to ensure that the Golden Howdah does not come into contact with them while the elephant carrying it moves through the city.

The inspection is significant because the procession involves decorated elephants travelling along a fixed route, with the lead elephant carrying the Golden Howdah. Any low-hanging or overgrown branches along the route could pose a safety concern during the procession.

The exercise is therefore aimed at identifying such issues in advance and ensuring that the route is suitable for the elephants and the procession.

Dasara security preparations underway

The Mysuru City Police have begun preparations well ahead of the festival to ensure smooth movement of visitors, participants and the procession.

The official Dasara committee structure includes a dedicated Bandobast (Security) sub-committee headed by Seema Latkar as Deputy Special Officer, with Dr Harsha Priyamvada as Working President and K.N. Sundar Raj as Secretary. The committee is responsible for policing, traffic and crowd management during the festival.

A separate Procession and Tableaux (Jumboo Savari) sub-committee has also been constituted to coordinate the Vijayadashami procession, tableaux and folk troupes.

The coordination between these teams is expected to be important on the day of the Jumboo Savari, when thousands of spectators are expected to gather along the route.

Film personalities may join procession

The route inspection also included Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) President Jayamala and former KFCC President Sa.Ra. Govind.

They travelled with Commissioner Seema Latkar to get a first-hand view of the Jumboo Savari route.

Their visit comes after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar invited Kannada film personalities to participate in this year’s Dasara procession.

According to the report, Kannada actors are expected to travel on the rooftop ‘Ambaari’ bus along part of the procession route, potentially up to K.R. Circle from the Palace North Gate, before returning to the Palace to watch the Jumboo Savari from the galleries.

However, the final decision on their participation and the exact arrangement is yet to be announced by the District Administration.

Elephants to cover route to Bannimantap

The Jumboo Savari route connects the Mysuru Palace with the Bannimantap Parade Grounds, where the Dasara festivities culminate with the Torchlight Parade.

The police inspection also provides officials an opportunity to assess how long the elephant procession will take and where potential bottlenecks could arise.

According to the Star of Mysore report, the elephants could take around 2.5 hours to reach the Torchlight Parade Grounds at Bannimantap on Jumboo Savari day.

The official Dasara programme lists the Jumboo Savari as the grand finale of the festival, with the procession scheduled to begin after the Pushparchane ceremony on October 21.

Mysuru prepares for 11-day Dasara

The 2026 Mysuru Dasara festival will run from October 11 to 21, featuring more than 100 programmes across multiple venues.

Apart from the Jumboo Savari, the official programme includes the Kambala, Flower Show, Aahara Mela, Yuva Sambhrama, Panjina Kavayathu and several cultural events.

The final two days will see major events at Bannimantap, including the Torchlight Parade on October 20 and 21.

With the festival attracting large numbers of tourists and residents, authorities are working on security, traffic management, civic arrangements and crowd control well in advance.

Focus on a safe and smooth procession

The inspection of the Jumboo Savari route is part of the preparations to ensure that the grand procession proceeds without avoidable disruptions.

Checking trees, reviewing security points and assessing the movement of the procession before the festival gives authorities an opportunity to address potential problems ahead of time.

The participation of senior police officials and representatives associated with the Kannada film industry also indicates that preparations are being coordinated across different aspects of the event.

As Mysuru moves closer to Dasara, further inspections and arrangements are expected along the Jumboo Savari route and at other major festival venues.

The grand procession on October 21 will mark the culmination of the 11-day celebrations, with the Golden Howdah and Goddess Chamundeshwari forming the central focus of the traditional Vijayadashami event.