With ten-day Dasara festivities beginning today, Namma Mysuru that has over the years earned sobriquets like ‘Royal City’, ‘Heritage City’ and ‘City of Palaces’ has now turned into ‘City of Lights’.

For tourists descending on Mysuru from far and wide and also local residents, it is an occasion to soak in breathtaking spectacle of illuminated Mysore Palace and insignias dotting important junctions. The Dasara Executive Committee is hosting 38 varieties of programmes at different locations this year to attract a large number of visitors.

Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESC) which is overseeing Dasara lighting arrangements has illuminated up to 50 kms of road covering 51 Circles at the city centre as against 18 kms of road last year. Dasara Illumination Sub-Committee, which has spent Rs. 2.75 crore this year, awarded the illumination contract to Bengaluru-based Mohankumar Sounds and Lights.

According to CESC Executive Engineer Swamy, who is also the Illumination Sub-Committee Secretary, major roads such as Albert Victor Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, Bengaluru-Mysuru Road, Nelson Mandela Road, Palace South Gate Road, Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road, parking space of Karnataka Exhibition Grounds, stretch atop Chamundi Hill, Chamundi Hill Road, Chamaraja Double Road, Basaveshwara Road, JLB Road, Krishnaraja Boulevard, Mahishasura Circle Junction to Dasoha Bhavan atop Chamundi Hill has been illuminated with dazzling lights.

16 illuminated insignias

The major highlights of this year is 16 illuminated insignias displayed at major junctions such as Goddess Chamundeshwari, social reformers like Buddha, Basavanna, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi and Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Replicas of Parliament and Vidhana Soudha have been created by using gold and yellow LED lights at Railway Station are the other attractions.

CESC has put up illuminated LED models of Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar at CADA Circle and Goddess Chamundeshwari seated on a Lion (40×40 feet LED display model) has been erected at Kurubarahalli Circle.

Insignias such as KRS Dam, Gowtham Buddha, Basavanna, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jnanpith awardees, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and Sir M. Visvesvaraya and  has been put up at Doddakere Maidan near Exhibition Grounds on the Bengaluru-Neelagiri Road.

The illuminated replica of Hampi Stone Pillar, Darpana Sundari model, other two huge models of Golden Howdah-carrying elephant (45×90 feet) and Krishna Raja Sagar Dam models at Doddakere Grounds are sure to attract tourists.

CESC has also displayed such Darpana Sundari models at K.R. Circle, Maharaja’s College and Ekalavya Circle. It has also erected a 40×40 feet model of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s bust and India Gate model near Gun House.

Insignia of Ashoka Pillar model has been put up at Millennium Circle, illuminated replicas of various animals, birds have been put up at Fountain Circle and a giant Gandaberunda model at JSS College, insignia of Mysore Palace at Ramaswamy Circle and India Gate model have been put up near Maharani’s College.

LED SCREEN

An LED welcome display board has been put up atop Chamundi Hill and ‘Hasiru Chappara’ displaying LED Board has been installed on Sayyaji Rao Road. 12 major parks will be lit up along with Uttanahalli Jwalamukhi Tripura Sundari Temple.

The Jamboo Savari route has also been illuminated. Basaveshwara Circle, Metropole Circle and Hardinge Circle have come alive with various models.

With Mysore being home to many heritage buildings, the illuminated Crawford Hall, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office, Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Mysuru City Corporation Office, K.R. Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospital are a treat to see.