Dasara tableau artists work without basic facilities; tableaux for rehearsal doubtful
Mysuru: This year, around 1,000 artists are working day and night to create tableaux for the Jumboo Savari. At the APMC Yard in Bandipalya, they are working on 53 tableaux representing various Departments, Corporations, Boards, Zilla Panchayats, the Indian Army and the Navy.
However, the District Administration and the Dasara Tableaux Sub-Committee have failed to provide the artists with basic amenities, including toilets, electricity, drinking water and most importantly, shelter.
“We have been working under difficult conditions without basic facilities. Only one toilet serves around 1,000 artists. Every time an artiste needs to use it, it takes nearly an hour to return because of the long queue,” said one of the artists.
Artists working on one of the Dasara tableaux at Bandipalya.
The lack of proper shelter has made their work harder. Overnight rain over the past three days has damaged the paintings on the tableaux, forcing the artists to redo the work and delaying completion.
“The administration has given us very little time to complete the tableaux. We need at least 20 days to finish one tableau, but the work orders were issued late, leaving us with just 10 days. The overnight rain has made matters worse. The artwork gets wet and the adhesive used for it does not dry,” said another artiste, who wished to remain anonymous.
Open drains trouble artists
The space allotted to the artists at the APMC Yard is close to open sewage drains. Although waste materials have been cleared from the drains, they have been left piled up along the sides, causing a foul smell. Mosquitoes are another major problem.
The open sewage drain located near the workplace at the APMC Yard.
“Earlier, officials would carry out fogging at least three times during our stay at the APMC Yard. This year, it has not been done even once. Mosquitoes are making it difficult for us to sleep, while the foul smell from the drains has become a major nuisance,” said the artists.
Tableaux may miss rehearsal
The participation of tableaux in the Jumboo Savari rehearsal is in doubt, as work on several of them is still underway.
“The administration wants us to submit the tableaux on Oct. 19, but we do not think this is possible. The work is yet to be completed because the work orders were issued late,” the artists said.
Another major concern arises on the final day, when people throng the APMC Yard to get a first glimpse of the tableaux. Visitors often damage the artwork, forcing the artists to make last-minute repairs.
The artists have urged the authorities to deploy security personnel at the venue to prevent people from entering the work area and damaging the tableaux.
Artists seek security
An artist told Star of Mysore that they also face security concerns after reaching the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap on the day of the Jumboo Savari, as adequate security arrangements are not in place.
They fear being threatened by anti-social elements who arrive in groups to take away metal and other valuable materials used in the tableaux.
The artists have urged the authorities to provide security both for their safety and to protect the tableaux and the materials used in their construction.
This post was published on October 19, 2026 7:30 pm