Mysore/Mysuru: While it was a rare feast as the magnificent cultural extravaganza that unfolded at the Mysore Palace yesterday signalling the culmination of the 10-day Dasara festivities, known for its grandeur and impressive Jumboo Savari, the Torchlight Parade was nothing short of a carnival where troops literally played with fire.

Though there was no show by the Armed Forces bike team as in the earlier years, the novel Drone Shoot entertained the crowd that wowed the display. The drone shoot resembled the displays offered to the tourists in the Western world. Here, it of course had the Indian and Mysuru connotation.

Display of Dasara Howdah-elephant, Happy Dasara, Mysore Palace, the Golden Throne and Ghanda Bherunda were some of the drone displays that attracted the audience from the sky.

Again, as a deviation from the tradition, it was Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who took the honours at the Parade. Usually, it is the Governor who takes the salute. Reports said that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was indisposed and as such, he stayed away.

Other dignitaries, who witnessed the massive light show, included District Minister S.T. Somashekar and Kannada and Culture Minister V. Sunil Kumar.

The Parade began after Commander Nagaraju saluted the CM and sought his permission to begin the display. At the beginning, a 21-round gun salute was offered to the dignitaries by the Armed Policemen.

Later, the actual parade began and 18 sets of troops participated in a disciplined manner. The troops dispersed after the National Anthem was played.

The Sound and Light Show at the venue transported the audience into a different world and the teams comprised 250 performers led by 25 leaders. They created a bright cultural scenario and played various Kannada numbers that spread patriotism, love for the land, language and culture.

Next in the line was tent-pegging that was displayed by Mounted Police and nine horses participated led by their respective handlers. The troopers effortlessly displayed the adventure in ‘Section Wise’ and ‘Indian Fire’ displays. M.S. Anand Singh (Kamacho horse), Rudrappa (Vindhya), H. Chandra (Finishing Touch), H.K. Somanna (Bhadra), Mallikarjunaswamy (Fernia), Mahesh (Sandhya), Sandesh (Karuni), Suresh (Gowri) and Ramesh Rao (Caddie horse) were the star performers.

Over 300 Policemen from Thanisandra Police Training Centre in Bengaluru conducted the Torchlight Parade and formed attractive displays that were comprehensible to the audience cheering from the galleries. They also displayed eight exercises including Swastik and Cross-cut.