1.5 mn visitors expected for Mysore Dasara

Bangalore, Oct 6: The city of Palaces, Mysore, is being spruced up for the world famous Dasara festivities commencing on October 12 with an expected tourist inflow of nearly 1.5 million tourists both from within the country and abroad.

The ten day cultural extravaganza which included a variety of entertainment programmes including music and dance festivals, film festivals and sports activities will witness top notch artists from across the country, besides local artists, adding colour. They included dancer-actor Hema Malini, singers Sonu Nigam and Anuradha Podwal, Ministr for Cooperation, Mr G T Devegowda, District incharge Minsiter for Mysore told newsmen here today.

The cynosure of all eyes would however be the famous Dasara procession on the final day on October 21 from the Royal Palace of the Wodeyars, which would also host a musical programme every day.

Mr Devegowda said in all Rs Ten crore would be spent on the festivity which was gaining popularity every year.

To disperse the visitors, cultural evenings were also being held at nearby tourist attractions of Somnathpur, Nanjangud and Srirangapatna from this year.

The Mysore Palace according to available records had a visitor inflow of 25.35 lakh last year, which was mere 20,000 less than the visitors to Taj Mahal and 200,000 less than the wax museum, Maddam Tussads in London, Mr I M Vittalamurthy, State Secretary for Information, Tourism, Kannada and Culture said.

The visitors would also have an opportunity to taste the palate of different regions of the country at a food court being set up in connection with the event he said.

The entire city would be illuminated during the festivity unlike previous years when only prominent thoroughfares were lit colourfully.

Sponsors including Canara Bank, TVS Motor Company, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of India, Infosys Technologies and Malabar Gold have together contributed around Rs One crore.

Nearly 200 of the 750 gold cards, each priced at Rs 6,000 have already been sold, Mr Vittalamurthy said. Each gold would entitle three visitors to attend various programmes organised in connection with the Dasara festival.

UNI