MYSORE, October 12: With just two days left for the grand finale of Dasara, arrangements are being made to enable visitors to watch the Vijayadashami procession (Jamboo Savari) here on Monday along the 4-km route from the Amba Vilas Palace to Bannimantap.
Dasara Special Officer and Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha told The Hindu that seating arrangements for 17,000 people, including VIPs, invitees, pass holders, Dasara Gold Card holders and ticket holders, would be made on the palace premises. She, however, said people who want to see the procession outside the palace premises need not buy tickets.
Fifty seats each would be reserved for persons with disabilities, foreign tourists and senior citizens at the Balarama Gate of the palace. The special seating arrangement for foreign tourists is in addition to the 1,000-seat gallery being put up for them at the Government Ayurveda College Circle.
Ms. Shikha said tickets costing Rs. 500 for Jamboo Savari and those costing Rs. 200 for the Torchlight Parade at Bannimantap in the evening were sold out. There was good demand for Jamboo Savari tickets costing Rs. 1,500, she said.
Gold cards
Of the 1,000 Dasara Gold Cards (each priced at Rs. 7,500) printed this year, only 450 have been sold so far. The authorities, however, claim that the response is better than last year, and are hopeful of selling more cards in the next two days.
People would be strictly prevented from climbing up the heritage buildings along the procession route. As some of the buildings have become weak and cannot carry the load of hundreds of people, police personnel will be deployed near them to prevent people from watching the procession from these structures. Also, people will not be allowed to climb up hoardings and mobile towers.
Police Commissioner M.A. Saleem told The Hindu, “We will request people not to climb up these buildings in the interest of their safety as the structures are old and weak.”
To ensure smooth movement of cultural troupes, tableaux and elephants, a 1,000-strong police force would guard the barricades put up along the procession route, he said. Mr. Saleem inspected the route on Thursday.
Outside palace
He said outside the palace premises, seating arrangements would be made near Curzon Park, near Town Hall, near Chikka Gadiyara Circle and from the Government Ayurveda College Circle up to Bannimantap.
