Footfall soars as tourists flock to Jumboo Savari, cultural programmes and dazzling illumination; Dasara illumination ends tonight

Mysuru: Mysuru witnessed a spectacular Dasara-2025, with lakhs of tourists and visitors flocking the city for the grand Navaratri celebrations, culminating in the Jumboo Savari procession on Oct. 2. The world-famous Mysore Palace recorded an impressive footfall of 1,99,703 tourists over a fortnight from Sept. 22 to Oct. 7.

The Palace saw its highest daily turnout on Oct. 4, with 25,106 visitors exploring the historic monument. The total figure of 1,99,703 accounts for ticketed visitors during general visiting hours from 10 am to 5.30 pm, excluding Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 when entry was restricted for Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami respectively. In addition, thousands more thronged the Palace to watch the evening Dasara cultural programmes, held over eight days  and to enjoy Palace illumination.

By comparison, during Dasara 2024, the Palace had recorded 1,35,456 ticketed visitors over the 10-day festival from Oct. 1 to 10. This year’s significantly higher footfall reflects the growing popularity of the festivities.

City, Palace illumination to end today

Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya said that 48,000 people who purchased Dasara Gold cards enjoyed a close-range view of the Jumboo Savari procession on Oct. 2 from within the Palace precincts.

Highlighting the massive turnout for the evening cultural programmes held from Sept. 22 to 29, he confirmed that 1,99,703 tourists, excluding VIPs, visited the Palace during general hours.

He added that Palace illumination will continue from 7 pm to 9 pm until Oct. 12 with free entry for visitors, as in previous years. Even Dasara illumination by Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation  (CESC) will come to an end tonight.