Mysuru: Like last year, Mysuru’s famed Dasara Torchlight Parade will once again miss one of its biggest attractions: The daredevil bike stunt display by the Indian Army’s ‘Shwet Ashwa’ team.

The elite Corps of Military Police (CMP) had been entertaining the audience by performing breathtaking stunts mounted on ‘Royal Enfield’ and ‘Hero Xpulse Pro’ bikes. Without the crowd-pulling act, festival-goers will have to do without the motorcycle acrobatics that have been a major highlight  of the parade.

Held at the Bannimantap Parade Grounds on Jumboo Savari day, the Torchlight Parade has traditionally featured the ‘Shwet Ashwa’ team performing breathtaking stunts. Their precision formations, daring jumps and acrobatics have been a major draw for spectators.

However, the team has opted out of Dasara this year due to prior commitments. Only three Army teams in the country perform bullet bike stunt displays, and all three are committed to other events.

Three teams, separate tasks

 The ‘Shwet Ashwa’ team will travel to Bhutan to perform at the ‘Haa Festival’ (an annual celebration of nomadic lifestyle, local culture, and cuisine) in September-October. Another team will participate in a programme in Gujarat, while the third is scheduled for the Indian Air Force Day celebrations in Delhi.

Sources said the Bhutan programme ends on Oct. 12, with the team expected to return to India on Oct. 14. Transporting the motorcycles back by goods train would take until Oct. 18, leaving barely two days before the Torchlight Parade on Oct. 21.

The team would also need to rehearse ahead of the performance, with Oct. 17 being the likely date. Given the tight schedule, participation in Mysuru’s parade was not feasible, sources said.

High-adrenaline display

The ‘Shwet Ashwa’ team has 28 members, including two reserves. Its 25-minute performance features 52 stunts, including crossing formations, ‘fire jumps’, single and double jumps, ‘pyramids’, parallel and chain crossings, ‘scissor’ and V-crossings, ‘Christmas tree’ formations, ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ and ‘Hopping Fish’ patterns.

A clown act adds a touch of humour to the high-adrenaline performance.

For spectators, watching the Army personnel perform intricate stunts under floodlights has long been one of the most memorable experiences of the Torchlight Parade. Its absence for the second consecutive year is likely to leave many disappointed and take some of the thrill out of this year’s spectacle.