Mysuru: The city was teeming with tourists today, a day after the Jumboo Savari. Thousands of tourists visited the Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore Palace, Dasara Flower Show this morning and the other destinations including Chamundi Hill and the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) too witnessed large footfalls.

Tomorrow being Gandhi Jayanti, a Government holiday, tourists are looking to continue their holidays that began on Ayudha Puja day (Sept. 29) till next Thursday (Oct. 5) which is again a Government holiday on account of Valmiki Jayanti. However, they have to apply leave on Oct. 3 and 4.

Almost all the 7,000 rooms available in 280 lodges in city in all categories have been booked till tomorrow evening and hoteliers are expecting that the tourists will extend their stay till Oct. 5. Some hotels have gone a step ahead by setting up tourist information kiosks that give the visitors directions to must visit places from Mysuru like Kodagu, Ooty and Chikkamagaluru.  

According to sources, most of the tourists to Mysuru have come from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the State Government’s move to exempt vehicles entering Mysuru from paying entry tax has proved a boon. Sources said that since Sept. 28, there has been a steady increase in tourists who are entering Mysuru through Bandipur and Chamarajanagar.

At the Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, till around 12 noon, over 20,000 people had entered the premises and over 15,000 tourists have been recorded at the Mysore Palace. The Flower Show attracted maximum number of visitors with over 30,000 people crowding the Kuppanna Park where the Show is being held.  The District Administration has extended the Flower Show till tomorrow evening.

People thronged the Mysore Palace to witness the Dasara elephants including Howdah-Elephant Arjuna in a relaxed mood. This morning, the traditional jewellery items that were put on the elephants for yesterday’s procession were removed, washed and dried. Today too, the Golden Throne was thrown open to the public.

Now, the residents and visitors to the city can enjoy the illumination for one more week. The District Administration has extended the illumination of the city for another eight days. Following a suggestion by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, the lighting across the city will continue till Oct. 8.