MLA Tanveer Sait inaugurates 10-day Flower Show

Mysore/Mysuru:  With a riot of colours and fragrant blooms bidding farewell to the passing year and ushering in the New Year, the annual Flower Show at the Mysore Palace premises was inaugurated last evening.

Organised by the Mysore Palace Board as part of the Winter Festival in the Christmas and New Year season, the 10-day exhibition will be open to the public till Dec. 31 from 10 am to 9 pm. Entry fee for the Flower Show is Rs. 30 for children and Rs. 50 for adults. Added attraction is Palace illumination from 7 pm to 9 pm every day.

The Show was inaugurated by MLA Tanveer Sait in the presence of MLA T.S. Srivatsa, MLC Dr. D. Thimmaiah, Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) Chairman Ayub Khan, former Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) Chairman L.R. Mahadevaswamy, DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) CEO S. Ukesh Kumar, Mysore Palace Board Dy. Director T.S. Subramanya and others.

The dignitaries later toured the various floral installations on display.

Speaking after the inauguration, MLA Tanveer Sait said, Mysuru is synonymous with Dasara, Mysore Silk, betel leaves, Nanjangud Rasabaale and the famed Mysore Sandal Soap gifted by the Maharajas.

He noted that the Wadiyar Dynasty gave priority to art and tradition, which helped Mysuru grow into a prominent cultural region.

He said that the Palace Board has organised the Flower Show in a meaningful manner and this Show adds to Mysuru’s cultural calendar and will attract thousands of tourists.

MLA Srivatsa thanked the Palace Board for providing opportunities to artistes who did not get chance during Dasara festivities, noting that Mysuru’s fame rests on landmarks like Chamundi Hill and the Palace.

MLC Thimmaiah remarked that participating in such events is a privilege, recalling Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s immense contributions to Mysuru and Karnataka’s development. He stressed the duty of preserving and nurturing the cultural heritage handed down.

Traditional wrestling (Naada Kusti) contests were held in an arena near Doll House area, with 17 pairs of men and three pairs of women participating. Winners were felicitated with prizes.

Cultural programmes were presented at the Palace premises, where noted multilingual music director Manikanth Kadri and Bollywood playback singer Hamsika Iyer enthralled the audience with a grand musical concert.

Earlier, several teams presented instrumental music, devotional songs, light music, folk performances and renditions of Mysore State anthems. Cultural programmes will be held from 5 pm to 9.30 pm till Dec. 25.