Mysore/Mysuru: Though the ‘Jumboo Savari,’ marking the culmination of Navarathri, was restricted to the Palace premises due to COVID-19 pandemic, the six Dasara Tableaux and eight cultural troupes that were part of the grand ‘Jumboo Savari’ yesterday, captivated the crowd due to their sheer elegance and excellence.

The tableaux, which were made at the Dasara Exhibition Grounds, were brought to the Palace premises on ‘Ayudha Puja’ day (Oct. 14). After Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai  performed  ‘Nandi  Dhwaja,’ puja in the auspicious Meena Lagna between 4.36 pm and 4.46 pm and subsequently inaugurated the procession in the auspicious Meena Lagna between 5 pm and 5.30 pm, the cultural troupes and tableaux followed the procession to the cheers of the crowd.

The Nandi Dhwaja post was carried by Mahadevappa and team and Malleshaiah and team, followed by Nadaswara music by Mandya’s R. Nagaraj  and K.R. Nagar’s H.M. Mahadev and team, Saxophone performance by Mysuru’s Rathnamma and team, cultural presentation by Mysuru’s Ambale Shivanna and team, Saragur’s Neelakanta and team, T. Narasipur’s Anand Kumar and team, Davanagere’s H.P. Rudresh and team and Veeragase performance by Veerabhadreshwara Veeragase Team.

The tableaux procession was led by MUDA’s tableaux on Group Housing Scheme, followed by the one on COVID awareness (COIVD-free Karnataka), Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ecology and Environment, Anebandi and the one on farming jointly made by Agriculture and Horticulture Departments.

The Kamsale performances by Nanjangud’s Kempisiddanahundi Mahadevu, Mysuru’s Chikkamariyappa and team, Mysuru Kamsale Siddaramu and Krishna Janamana lent splendor to the procession with woman Kamsale artistes too taking part.

Rajashekar and team’s Chilipili Gombe, Kombu Kahale by Mandya’s H.K. Nalini and team, Gaarudi Gombe by Sridhar and team and Chende Vadana by Udupi’s Vasudev Bannanje and team too gave an excellent  presentation which  delighted the crowd. The cultural performances  ended with Yakshagana and Chande Maddale by Mahalingeshwara Seva Samiti.

Lastly and most importantly, Goddess Chamundeshwari  idol placed  in 750-kg Golden Howdah carried by elephant Abhimanyu, accompanied by Kumki elephants Chaitra and Kaveri, marched with majesty amidst loud cheers and chanting by the gathering, with Mounted Police, Police Band and three Police contingents in the front, thus bringing an end to the 10-day Dasara festivities, which is celebrated as ‘Nada Habba’ across the State.

Prior to the start of the ‘Jumboo Savari,’ caparisoned Nishane and Naupat elephants — Dhananjaya, Ashwathama and Gopalaswamy — took part in the ‘Nandi Dhwaja Puja,’ which was performed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his wife Chennamma.

Later, Bommai performed Pushparchane to the ‘Utsava Murti’ of the presiding deity  Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in the Golden Howdah to launch the ‘Jumboo Savari.’ District Minister S.T. Somashekar, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, titular head of the erstwhile Mysuru Royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta and a host of other officials and political leaders were present.