Mysore: Curtains fell on the traditional 10-day Dasara festivities here Monday, with an impressive 'jamboo savari' (procession of caparisoned elephants) watched by tens of thousands of people, marking the grand finale.
Celebrated as 'naada habba' (state festival), the event showcased Karnataka's cultural heritage resplendent with folk art forms, as 'Arjuna' led other richly embellished elephants through the more than 5 km route.
Thousands of people from the city and tourists from outside the state lined up the streets as Arjuna carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in a 750 kg golden howdah wound its way majestically from the grand Mysore palace to the terminating point.
The "Jumbo savari", observed in the royal style since the days of the erstwhile Mysore Maharajas, began with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah showering petals on Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of the historical city.
The scion of the erstwhile Mysore Royal family, Srikantadatta Narashimharaja Wodeyar also offered puja.
A dozen caparisoned elephants took part in the procession which included troupes of folk dancers, cultural artists, musicians and 34 tableaux.
The tableaux offered a glimpse of the art and culture of each district of Karnataka while the folk troupes with the rhythmic beat of the percussionists infused an element of zest and energy to the procession.
Every year hundreds of tourists head to the erstwhile princely state, during October-November coinciding with the Dasara festivities with the city of palaces all decked up.
Police and the administration had made elaborate arrangements all along the route to prevent any untoward incident.
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