Mysore:
Preparations for Jamboo Savari denoting the grand finale of the 10-day-long Dasara festivities is in full swing in Mysore.
The Jamboo Savari, featuring the procession of the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in a golden howdah (carriage) positioned atop caparisoned elephants, will start at 2.10 pm from the precincts of the Amba Vilas palace on Sunday.
Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa will inaugurate the Jumboo Savari between 1.45 pm and 2.10 pm during the auspicious Kumbha Lagna (aquarius ascendant) in front of the Mysore Palace. He will also perform poojas to the Nandi Dhwaja at the Balarama Gate of the palace, flagging off the procession.
The scion of the Mysore royal family and former member of the parliament, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, will be the special invitee. Minister in charge of the district, SA Ramdas, his cabinet colleagues, officials and other invitees will be present.
The Nandi Dhwaja puja will be followed by the grand Jumboo Savari, comprising nearly 65 tableaux, 27 of them from as many districts in the state.
Cultural troupes from all over the state, and a few from outside, will add to the fervour of the state festival.
According to the Dasara Jamboo Savari committee members, as many as 24 cultural troupes, including dollu kunitha and somana kunita, from North Karnataka districts, Huli Vesha from the coastal districts, Nandi Dhwaja from Davanagere, Karaga from Bangalore and Tumkur, among others, will be participating in the procession.
The palace band and the police band will add to the gaiety at the festival, which celebrates Goddess Chamundeshwari's victory over the demon king, Mahishasura, according to Hindu mythology.
The highlight of the Dasara procession will be the 750 kg golden howdah mounted on Balarama, the patriarch pachyderm, who has had the honour of carrying it for the past 12 years.
Balarama has been participating in the Mysore Dasara for 14 years.
Another highlight of the closing ceremony of the Mysore Dasara will be the Torchlight Parade at Bannimantap, about 2.7 kilometres from the palace, which will be held after the culmination of the Jamboo Savari.
Governor Hans Raj Bhardwaj will inaugurate the parade at 6.30 pm in the presence of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is also the chief guest this year.
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