Mysuru is seeing a surge in visitors ahead of this year’s Dasara celebrations, with trial illumination drawing crowds, traffic building around the palace precinct and hotel demand increasing across the city. The festival is scheduled from October 11 to 21, while the main illumination will be formally switched on at 6 pm on October 11.
According to a report by Prajavani, several important roads, junctions and tourist attractions are already experiencing increased activity before the official start of the festival. The city’s illuminated streets are attracting residents and tourists who are arriving to watch, photograph and record the displays.
Trial illumination has been conducted for the past few days on major roads and circles, including areas around Mysuru Palace, K.R. Circle, Albert Victor Road, 100 Feet Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, the road opposite the Zilla Panchayat office and Hunsur Road. The lighting has given parts of the city a festive appearance before the scheduled formal launch.
The early crowds are also linked to the growing circulation of short videos, or reels, from Mysuru’s Dasara preparations on social media. The report said more people were visiting the illuminated locations, contributing to a celebratory atmosphere even before the festival’s main events begin.
Traffic congestion has been reported on roads around the palace and other important city locations. The movement of the Dasara elephant squad from the palace premises along the traditional route towards Bannimantap is also drawing spectators. Visitors are gathering to watch the training sessions, take photographs and record videos.
The increase in visitors is being seen at major tourist destinations, including the Amba Vilas Palace, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens and Chamundi Hill. Some schools and colleges have already begun their Dasara holidays, which is contributing to the higher number of tourists arriving in Mysuru before the main festival period.
The visitor inflow is also visible in the hospitality and food sectors. Restaurants, hotels and messes serving Mysuru specialities such as Mysuru pak, different varieties of dosa and biryani are reporting heavy customer footfall, according to the report. Demand for hotel rooms has increased, leading to higher room rents.
Hotel room rates may rise further during the Dasara period, particularly as the Vijayadashami procession approaches. The formal illumination on October 11 and the festival events scheduled through October 21 will determine the next phase of visitor movement and demand across the city.
