Mysuru Dasara 2026 News: Inauguration, Jamboo Savari

Quick answer (as of 9 October 2026): Mysuru Dasara 2026 runs from 11 to 21 October. The Gavimutt seer, Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji, will inaugurate it on Chamundi Hill on 11 October, with 500 religious heads invited. The Jamboo Savari is on 21 October, flagged off by the Chief Minister during Meena Lagna, followed by the Torchlight Parade at Bannimantap. The elephants, led by Abhimanyu, are rehearsing the route; the Golden Howdah elephant has not been named. Kambala, a drone show and palace concerts are also on the programme.

Every October, Mysuru turns into a city of lights, music and caparisoned elephants, and the run-up is half the fun: who will open the festival, which elephant will carry the Golden Howdah, which singers will take the palace stage. This page gathers what has actually been announced for Nada Habba 2026, with the source and date for every item, so you can plan a visit or follow along from afar.

At a glance: Mysuru Dasara 2026 news

Item	Date	Status	Source
Inauguration by Gavimutt seer, Chamundi Hill	11 Oct	Official	Star of Mysore; Asianet Newsable
500 religious heads invited; five elephants trained for Golden Howdah	Announced 3 Oct	Official	Star of Mysore
Elephant team led by Abhimanyu rehearses route	Reported 8 Oct	Reported	Star of Mysore
Mahendra halts during wooden howdah rehearsal	Reported 9 Oct	Reported	Asianet Newsable
Kambala at Sathagalli	18 and 19 Oct	Expected	Asianet Newsable
Jamboo Savari and Torchlight Parade	21 Oct	Expected	Asianet Newsable

Inauguration on 11 October by the Gavimutt seer

Status: official. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the Karnataka Assembly that Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji of Gavimutt, Koppal, has been invited to inaugurate Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara on 11 October, the first day of the 11-day festival. The seer will shower flower petals on the Utsava Murthi of Goddess Chamundeshwari on Chamundi Hill to formally open the festival (Source: Star of Mysore, 25 September 2026).

Asianet Newsable adds that the inauguration is planned during Dhanur Lagna, between 11:50 am and 12:13 pm on 11 October, and that the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara and Union and state ministers are expected to attend (Source: Asianet Newsable, 2 October 2026). The festival opens on the same day as Navratri, which runs from 11 to 19 October 2026 (Drik Panchang).

500 religious heads invited; armed forces in the procession

Status: official. At a review meeting in Mysuru on 3 October, CM D.K. Shivakumar said 500 religious leaders from Hindu, Christian, Muslim and Jain communities will be invited to the Dasara inauguration. Army, Navy and Air Force contingents will join the procession, and Mysuru will be illuminated for 21 days (Source: Star of Mysore, 4 October 2026).

The 21-day illumination means the city's lights should stay on well after Vijayadashami, which is good news for visitors who cannot travel during the peak days.

Jamboo Savari on 21 October

Status: expected. According to Asianet Newsable, on Vijayadashami, 21 October, the Nandi Dhwaja pooja will be performed in front of the Kote Anjaneya Temple between 1:36 pm and 1:56 pm. The Chief Minister will flag off the Jamboo Savari at the Mysuru Palace grounds between 4:10 pm and 4:35 pm during Meena Lagna. The Torchlight Parade begins at 7 pm at Bannimantap, where Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot will receive the guard of honour. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will attend as a special invitee (Source: Asianet Newsable, 2 October 2026).

Event (21 October)	Place	Time (as reported)
Nandi Dhwaja pooja	Kote Anjaneya Temple	1:36 pm to 1:56 pm
Jamboo Savari flag-off (Meena Lagna)	Mysuru Palace grounds	4:10 pm to 4:35 pm
Torchlight Parade	Bannimantap	From 7 pm

A note on dates: Drik Panchang lists Dussehra on Tuesday 20 October 2026 for India, while the Mysuru Dasara programme as reported places the Jamboo Savari on 21 October. Follow the official Mysuru Dasara schedule for the procession. Seating and passes were not covered in these reports, so check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Elephants: Abhimanyu leads the rehearsals

Status: reported. A 13-elephant team led by Abhimanyu rehearsed the Jamboo Savari route carrying conservation messages on their decorative cloths, as part of the 72nd National Wildlife Week (2 to 8 October). The route ran from near the Kodi Someshwara Temple in Mysore Palace through Jayarama Gate, Chamaraja Wadiyar Circle, Albert Victor Road and K.R. Circle, turning back at Sayyaji Rao Road (Source: Star of Mysore, 8 October 2026).

Who carries the Golden Howdah is still open. Star of Mysore reported that five elephants, including Dhananjaya and Ekalavya, are being trained to carry it (Source: Star of Mysore, 4 October 2026).

Mahendra halts during wooden howdah rehearsal

Status: reported. A wooden howdah rehearsal on the Jamboo Savari route was called off after the elephant Mahendra stopped near Ayurveda Circle. The load was about 600 kg, including a 280-kg wooden howdah. Deputy Conservator of Forests Dr I.B. Prabhugowda said a health check-up is being conducted and the reason is not yet known. Prashantha and Dhananjaya are reported as leading contenders to carry the howdah (Source: Asianet Newsable, 9 October 2026).

With several elephants in training, the rehearsals over the coming days should make the final Golden Howdah choice clearer. We will add it here once it is announced.

Kambala, drone show and palace concerts

Status: expected. A Kambala buffalo race will be held at Sathagalli on 18 and 19 October as part of Mysuru Dasara 2026. A large-scale drone show is planned at Bannimantapa, and musical evenings at the Mysuru Palace grounds will feature Raghu Dixit, Sid Sriram, Shaan and Jasmine Sandlas. The programme also includes Yuva, Mahila, Raitha, Makkala and Yoga Dasara, along with a food mela, book mela, flower show and agriculture exhibition (Source: Asianet Newsable, 2 October 2026).

Concert dates for each artist were not given in the report. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets, and see our Mysore Dasara 2026 day-by-day guide for how the eleven days usually unfold.

Planning a visit

Book early: the inauguration weekend and the Jamboo Savari day are the busiest.
See the lights: the city is to be illuminated for 21 days, so evenings after Vijayadashami are an option for those avoiding the crowds.
Rely on official notices: procession timings, passes and road closures come from the district administration and the Dasara committee.
From abroad: Kannadiga families overseas can follow the Dussehra 2026 USA and Canada guides for local muhurat times.

Frequently asked questions

Who is inaugurating Mysuru Dasara 2026?

Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji of Gavimutt, Koppal, has been invited to inaugurate Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara on 11 October 2026 on Chamundi Hill, as Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the Karnataka Assembly (Star of Mysore, 25 September 2026).

When is the Jamboo Savari in 2026?

The Jamboo Savari is scheduled for 21 October 2026. As reported by Asianet Newsable on 2 October, the Chief Minister will flag it off at the Mysuru Palace grounds between 4:10 pm and 4:35 pm during Meena Lagna, and the Torchlight Parade begins at 7 pm at Bannimantap.

Which elephant will carry the Golden Howdah?

That had not been announced as of 9 October 2026. Star of Mysore reported on 4 October that five elephants, including Dhananjaya and Ekalavya, are being trained to carry the Golden Howdah, and Asianet Newsable reported on 9 October that Prashantha and Dhananjaya are leading contenders.

What happened to the elephant Mahendra?

During a wooden howdah rehearsal, Mahendra stopped near Ayurveda Circle and the rehearsal was called off. The Deputy Conservator of Forests said a health check-up was being conducted and the reason was not yet known (Asianet Newsable, 9 October 2026).

Is Kambala part of Mysuru Dasara 2026?

Yes. A Kambala buffalo race is planned at Sathagalli on 18 and 19 October 2026, according to Asianet Newsable's 2 October report on the Dasara programme. Check the organiser's page for timings and tickets.

Will this page be updated?

Yes. News on this page was checked on 9 October 2026, and we will update it as announcements change.

Editor's note (9 October 2026)

News checked on 9 October 2026; we will update as announcements change. Every item comes from a report we checked on that date, cited with its source name and publication date. Times given are as reported by those sources and may be revised by the Dasara organisers. Festival dates for context are from Drik Panchang.

Image credit: V N GUPTA, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mysore_Palace_Dussehra_Illumination.jpg).