• Replica of Ram Temple in Ayodhya main attraction
• Free entry for visitors from Dec. 25 to Jan. 2 between 10 am and 8.30 pm
• Palace illumination from 7 pm to 8.30 pm
• Only fully vaccinated persons allowed entry

Mysore/Mysuru: Here is some good news for Mysureans who are starved for winter activities post-pandemic. The Mysore Palace Board will organise the Annual Flower Show from Dec. 25 to Jan. 2.

The event was last held in 2019 where it attracted thousands of visitors.  This year, the event will be held to coincide with Christmas and New Year with a sound-less display of fireworks on Dec. 31 as the clock strikes 12. Though entry will be free for public, only fully vaccinated would be allowed inside.

Vaccination status will be checked at entry point and the certificate can be displayed through mobile phones. Even for people who have not downloaded certificates, a dedicated WhatsApp number has been displayed at the entrance to check vaccination status. Entry and exits are through Jayarama-Balarama Gate (Palace North Gate) and Varaha Gate.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Mysore Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya said that a limit of 500 has been fixed for the number of people at the Flower Show at a time.

“We will follow the Government guidelines and as the Flower Show will be witnessed by the floating population, the Police at the entry gates will take a call on the number of people entering the venue. Coordination points will be set up at entry and exit points and groups of large gatherings will not be permitted,” he said.

As an icing on the cake for the Flower show, the iconic Mysore Palace will be illuminated daily from Dec. 25 till Jan. 2, 2022 from 7 pm till 8.30 pm.  The Flower Show will be held between 10 am and 8.30 pm,  he said.

A host of attractions have been planned for the Flower Show with colourful and long-lasting blooms and the special attraction will be a replica of Sri Ram Temple at Ayodhya. It is set to be a splendid sight as the Temple replica is juxtaposed to the imposing structure of the Mysore Palace.

Vertical gardens

As the visitor enters the Flower Show venue, he/she will be greeted by vertical gardens and a floral depiction of Khedda operation (to capture wild elephants). From there, the visitor will head towards replicas of Goddess Chamundeshwari, Mahishasura and Nandi monolith statue. From there, the visitors are directed to the giant replica of the Ram Temple.

After the Temple darshan, visitors can take a look into a floral mace (gade in Kannada) and view the replica of Gandhiji’s Dandi March.

From there, people can take a look at the photo gallery that will trace the journey of Mysuru from Wadiyars till the present era. The gallery will be a place to see the rarest of the rare photos.

Along the route, there will be floral photo frames and selfie points to capture the best photographic moments. Floral replicas of Onake Obavva, the daring lady of Chitradurga who massacred the soldiers of Hyder Ali, Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, who downed a Pakistan jet during an aerial combat in February 2019 at the Line of Control (LoC) and a replica of Olympic Gold Medal Hero Neeraj Chopra will attract visitors. 

Homage to Rawat

A replica of Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat who died in a chopper crash at Coonoor in Tamil Nadu recently will be an added attraction. After viewing these attractions, visitors can go to a dedicated children’s area where floral replicas of cartoon characters tom and jerry, Donald duck and others will be displayed. This apart, a floral replica of a queen in palanquin and a farmer will be on display.