Austere Dasara sees dip in tourists

Mysuru: Notwithstanding austere celebrations during Dasara festivities, the heritage city of Mysuru witnessed a small drop in number of tourists this year.

Figures available at Mysuru Zoo indicate that while there were 1.25 lakh tourists between October 13 and 23 this year, there were 1.33 lakh tourists during the same period in 2014. On Vijayadashami, there were 28,587 visitors, while there were 29,863 visitors to Mysuru Zoo on Vijayadashami day last year. On October 19, musician Vidwan V Gururaj who performed at Dasara cultural programme in front of the illuminated palace was moved as 90 year old lady Seethamma offered him five coins of Rs 1 in appreciation of the performance.

Mr Gururaj said, “It was like 5 crore to me. I consider it as the blessings of Goddess Chamundeswari,” he said. Among the audience present to watch Vijaya Yathre of Yaduveer Wadiyar was a die-hard fan of the royal family, 103 year old Dugaiah from Himmegowdanadoddi in Ramanagar district. “All my ailments are cured when I just remember the kings of Mysuru. I have seen Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, used to meet Srikantadatta Wadiyar often and it was just 20 days before his demise I last met him and handed over bananas grown on my five acre plantation in my village. I had not got an opportunity to see Yaduveer, so I came all the way all alone,” he said.