Mysuru's Dasara Season Brings Film City Plans, Cultural Debuts, and Wildlife Concerns
Mysuru is abuzz with Dasara activity and large-scale development news this week. The Karnataka Cabinet has greenlit a landmark film city project near Nanjanagud while festival preparations across the city highlight tradition and innovation alike.
Karnataka Cabinet clears Rs 729-crore International Film City near Mysuru
The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a Rs 729.43-crore proposal to build an International Film City in Mysuru's Nanjanagud area under a Public-Private Partnership model. The project will spread across 160 acres and eight guntas of land near Immavu Village in Nanjanagud Taluk, located approximately 20.9 kilometres from Mysuru's KSRTC Bus Stand. It will be developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer model, meaning the government retains ownership while a private entity handles design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and approvals. The project was first announced in the 2025-26 state budget as a 500-crore initiative covering 150 acres transferred to the Department of Information and Public Relations. The 2026-27 budget accorded administrative approval and expanded the scope to include a theme park, star hotels, and a restaurant. According to a government document accessed by Deccan Herald, the film city's mandatory components form its backbone and include indoor and outdoor shooting spaces, post-production facilities, and virtual production studios. Additional permissible activities may be developed based on market demand and footfall trends. [2]
🪔 Kambala sport and Tulunadu tableau to debut at Mysuru Dasara
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced that Kambala, the traditional buffalo-racing sport of the Tulu Nadu coastal region, and a Tulunadu tableau will be featured as part of the Mysuru Dasara celebrations for the first time. The Chief Minister made the announcement from Mangaluru, signalling an effort to broaden the festival's representation of Karnataka's diverse regional cultures. Mysuru Dasara, held annually at the conclusion of the nine-day Navaratri festival, is one of the most prominent state-sponsored celebrations in India and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city each year. The inclusion of Kambala highlights the government's intent to showcase the heritage of the coastal Tulu Nadu region alongside Mysuru's own palace-centred heritage. The Tulunadu tableau will join the grand procession that is a centrepiece of the festival, allowing a wider audience to witness the cultural traditions of a part of Karnataka known for its unique language, customs, and folk forms. The move is seen as a gesture of cultural integration within the state's celebration of its heritage. [3]
🍛 Dasara food guide spotlights seven traditional Karnataka dishes in Mysuru
With Mysuru Dasara 2026 in full swing, food guides are directing visitors toward Karnataka's culinary heritage as a core part of the festive experience. Seven traditional dishes stand out as must-tries during the celebrations, beginning with the iconic Mysore Pak, the sweet that takes its name from the city and remains one of its most beloved exports. Mysuru palav, a fragrant spiced rice preparation, is another staple tied closely to the city's food culture. Bisi bele bath, a hearty lentil-rice dish cooked with spices and ghee, represents the broader Karnataka tradition of warming comfort food. Ragi mudde, a dense ball made from finger millet flour, is a regional staple that has gained wider recognition as a nutritious food. Maddur vada, the crispy lentil-and-onion fritter that takes its name from a small town between Mysuru and Bengaluru, rounds out the savoury offerings. Contemporary interpretations of these Mysuru classics are also available at eateries across the city, offering visitors both traditional and modern takes on Karnataka's flavours during the festive season. [5]
🤝 Activists urge volume caps at Mysuru Palace concerts to safeguard Dasara elephants
Animal rights activists and environmentalists have petitioned the government to impose volume caps on concerts held at Mysuru Palace during the Dasara celebrations, citing concerns about the welfare of the elephants central to the festival's grand procession. Advanced sound systems used for the palace concerts amplify music at levels that activists argue are harmful to the sensitive hearing of the elephants, which are ceremonially deployed to carry the golden howdah and participate in the Jamboo Savari procession. The activists and environmentalists have urged authorities to set enforceable limits on the decibel levels permitted during performances at the palace grounds. The Dasara elephants are brought to Mysuru from across Karnataka's forests weeks before the festival and are housed at the palace, placing them in close proximity to concert venues. Concerns about the animals' wellbeing during festive events have surfaced in previous years, though formal volume restrictions have not yet been implemented. The call for action has gained attention as preparations for the main procession intensify across the city. [8]
Sources: [2] Deccan Herald · [3] ANI News · [5] Inshorts · [8] Deccan Herald