Stop cluttering Dasara to make money
IN BLACK AND WHITE BY VIKRAM MUTHANNA
Every few years, just before Dasara, someone gets a bright idea, which is, “Ah, let’s add one more event to Mysuru Dasara.” This year, it is Kambala, the spectacular buffalo race of Coastal Karnataka.
The Kambala is undoubtedly a magnificent tradition and deserves to be celebrated, but… not in Mysuru Dasara.
The issue is not about Kambala but about the slow and steady transformation of Mysuru Dasara from India’s most elegant royal festival into an overcrowded Government-sponsored ‘jathre.’
Today, Dasara suffers from what can only be called as “event inflation.”
Today, Dasara is filled with events. We have Mahila Dasara, Raitha Dasara, Makkala Dasara, Dasara Aahara Mela, Yoga Dasara, Dasara Flower Show, Dasara Air Show, Dasara Drone Show, Karakushala Dasara, Dasara Sports, Dasara Film Festival, Dasara Wrestling, Dasara Kavi Ghosti, Dasara Mushaira, Dasara Doll Show and all this is packed into 10 days! Phew!
Now they want to add Kambala to this list with a budget of Rs. 8 crore? We fear what will they add next? Dasara Dance festival, Punjab’s Bullan di Daud or Tamil Nadu’s Jalli Kattu as part of our Dasara?
If the reason to add Kambala is to showcase other festivals from our State, then the answer is: That is why we have the tableaux in the procession, so we don’t have to bring the actual event to our city.
The Government says they are getting all these events “for the people”, but for the most part, it is “for themselves.” Dasara sadly today has also become the festival of “kickbacks.”
The more events there are, the more political ‘chamchas’ can be made Chairmen of Sub-Committees and more budget can be allocated and more money can be made.
Despite the increase in budget, the one event that truly matters, the Jumboo Savari, has suffered the most.
In fact, our officials have spent more time having meetings on choosing celebrity singers and their payments than planning the Jumboo Savari procession.
No wonder, the Dasara procession, the main event of Dasara, instead of becoming more majestic has become more chaotic and lacking in imagination.
If Mysuru genuinely wants Dasara to become a global attraction, it needs to stop cluttering it with multiple events.
Just look at the world’s great festivals. They don’t try to do everything. They do a few things exceptionally well.
Today, none of the Dasara events will make a high-value tourist want to return.
More importantly, by cramming every conceivable event into ten days, we are exhausting both the visitor and the city itself.
The Karnataka Government must stop treating Mysuru as a city that comes alive for just ten days during Dasara. Instead, it should build a year-round tourism calendar.
Keep Dasara focused on what made it legendary, which is the Royal Procession, the Exhibition, the curated cultural performances and the illuminations.
Spread the rest across the year: An international music festival in February, a Karnataka Food Festival in April, an International Yoga Week in June, a literature festival on the lines of Jaipur Lit Fest and an arts festival like Kochi’s Biennale.
Basically, give tourists twelve reasons to visit Mysuru instead of asking them to experience everything in just ten overcrowded days.
A tourist city like ours should remain culturally vibrant throughout the year brining in a variety of tourists into the city. A year-long calendar of events will make it more enjoyable for the tourists and also manageable for the city.
For now, Dasara is losing its shine by becoming the dumping ground for events to make money in the name of culture.
Dasara’s greatest strength has always been its uniqueness and every unnecessary event chips away at that uniqueness and grandeur.
We must not forget that more is not always better. Sometimes, more is simply… clutter.
Indeed, Kambala deserves to remain the pride of Coastal Karnataka, just as Dasara must remain the pride of Mysuru.
e-mail: vikram@starofmysore.com
This post was published on July 4, 2026 7:30 pm