Mysore Dasara 2026 opens on Sunday, 11 October and ends with the Jumboo Savari elephant procession on Wednesday, 21 October. The festival is inaugurated on Chamundi Hill between 11:50 am and 12:13 pm on 11 October by Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji, the Gavimath seer from Koppal, as announced by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in the Karnataka Assembly. Tickets are on sale online only, through TicketGenie on the official Mysuru Dasara portal. The Gold Card costs ₹6,500 a person before fees (₹6,961 all-in), a numbered Jumboo Savari seat at the Palace costs ₹3,500 (₹3,831), and a Torchlight Parade seat at Bannimantap costs ₹1,500 (₹1,642). All prices and dates below were checked against the district administration’s portal and local press on 9 October 2026.
Mysore Dasara 2026 at a glance
| What | Date and time (2026) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Inauguration | Sun 11 Oct, 11:50 am to 12:13 pm | Chamundeshwari Temple, Chamundi Hill |
| Illumination switched on | Sun 11 Oct, 6:30 pm (Palace lights from 7 pm) | Sayyaji Rao Road and Amba Vilas Palace |
| Fruit and Flower Show | 11 to 21 Oct, 9 am to 9 pm | Kuppanna Park (Nishad Bagh) |
| Aahara Mela (food festival) | 11 to 25 Oct, 11 am to 10 pm | Maharaja’s College Ground |
| Drone shows | Sat 17 and Sun 18 Oct, 8 pm | Bannimantap parade ground |
| Kambala (buffalo race) | 18 and 19 Oct, 9 am | Track near VTU College |
| Ayudha Puja and Torchlight Parade rehearsal | Tue 20 Oct (puja 9 am, parade 7 pm) | Palace; Bannimantap |
| Jumboo Savari | Wed 21 Oct, leaves the Palace at about 4:35 pm | Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap |
| Torchlight Parade and closing drone show | Wed 21 Oct, 7 pm and 8 pm | Bannimantap |
The official portal notes that its times are “subject to official confirmation”, so check again before you leave for a fixed-time event.
What is new or different this year
A seer opens the festival
The inaugurator traditionally showers flower petals on the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari on Chamundi Hill. This year it is Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji, the 18th pontiff of Gavimath in Koppal. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced this on the last day of a special Assembly session in late September. The Chief Minister also performs the Nandi Dhwaja puja on Vijayadashami, scheduled for 1:36 to 1:56 pm on 21 October, before the procession sets off.
Every ticket now has a seat number
The Mysuru district administration has said that all Gold Cards, passes and tickets for 2026 carry printed seat numbers. The aim is to stop people taking seats they did not buy, a regular complaint at past processions. Each card or ticket admits one person.
Kambala is on the official schedule
In July the state government was still only considering a Kambala, the coastal Karnataka buffalo race, as part of Mysuru Dasara. The official schedule now lists it on 18 and 19 October near VTU College. This would be the first time it has been part of the Mysuru programme.
Note the date if you are coming from north India
In Mysuru, Vijayadashami and the Jumboo Savari fall on Wednesday, 21 October 2026. Many north Indian calendars mark Dussehra a day earlier, so do not plan your Mysuru visit around a generic “Dussehra date” from a north Indian listing.
Mysore Dasara 2026 tickets and Gold Card prices
| Ticket | Base price | All-in (with fee + GST) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Card | ₹6,500 | ₹6,961 | Numbered Jumboo Savari seat, Torchlight Parade enclosure, one drone show, and one-time entry to Mysuru Palace, Chamundi Hill and Mysuru Zoo |
| Jumboo Savari (Palace) | ₹3,500 | ₹3,831 | Numbered seat in Enclosure I, Palace forecourt, 21 Oct (gates 9:30 am to 12 noon) |
| Torchlight Parade | ₹1,500 | ₹1,642 | Ticketed enclosure at Bannimantap, 21 Oct |
| Torchlight Parade rehearsal | ₹1,500 | not published | Enclosure E at Bannimantap, 20 Oct |
| Drone show (per day) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,095 | Bannimantap ground, 17 or 18 Oct |
Booking opened at 11:30 am on 21 September 2026. The district administration says TicketGenie, through the official portal, is the only authorised seller, with “no other counters and no agents”. Anyone offering Gold Cards on WhatsApp or social media is not an official seller. After you pay, you get a voucher. Exchange it for the physical card or ticket before the event and carry a government photo ID. Local press reports name the Spandhana counter at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru as the collection point.
What this means for your trip
- The big weekend is 17 to 18 October, and the peak is 20 to 21 October. The drone shows and Kambala fall on the weekend, and the Torchlight rehearsal, Ayudha Puja and Jumboo Savari follow on Tuesday and Wednesday. Mysuru hotels fill first for the nights of 19, 20 and 21 October, so book those now if you have not.
- If you only want the lights, you do not need a ticket. The Palace is lit every evening from 7 pm, and the city illumination runs throughout the festival. A weekday evening between 12 and 16 October gives you the lights with far smaller crowds than the final days.
- Get to the Palace early on 21 October. Gates for the Palace enclosure close at 12 noon, but the procession leaves at about 4:35 pm. Bring water, a cap and something to sit on. Expect road closures in the city centre from late morning.
- Do not drive into the core city on procession day. Park outside the centre and come in by shuttle, auto or on foot. Follow the Mysuru City Police traffic advisories on the day, because closures change.
- Combine it with a longer South India trip. Mysuru sits on the classic route into Coorg, Wayanad and northern Kerala. Two Dasara nights fit easily before a week in the hills or on the backwaters. If you want to carry on into Kerala, our Kerala tour packages can be planned around your Dasara dates.
- Weather. Mid-October in south Karnataka can still bring afternoon and evening thundershowers. Pack a light rain layer for open-air events.
Travel agents building Dasara add-ons for clients heading south can find how we handle the Kerala leg, with net rates and on-trip support, in our Kerala DMC guide for travel agents.
If Mysuru is too far: Dussehra in the hills
Travellers based in north India have a mountain alternative on the same dates. Kullu Dussehra, where hundreds of village deities are carried to Dhalpur Maidan, starts on 21 October 2026 and runs for a week. Dates, crowds and where to stay are covered in our Kullu Dussehra 2026 travel guide. If you are planning either festival and want help with the ground arrangements, call or WhatsApp Suzu Travels on 7087488961.
Mysore Dasara 2026: frequently asked questions
When does Mysore Dasara 2026 start and end?
It starts on Sunday, 11 October 2026 with the inauguration on Chamundi Hill, and ends on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 (Vijayadashami) with the Jumboo Savari and the Torchlight Parade. Some side events continue afterwards: the Aahara Mela runs until 25 October and the Chamundeshwari Rathotsava is on 24 October.
What time is the Jumboo Savari on 21 October 2026?
According to the official schedule, the Pushparchane (flower offering to the golden howdah) is between 4:10 and 4:35 pm, and the procession leaves Mysuru Palace for Bannimantap from about 4:35 pm. Enclosure gates at the Palace close at 12 noon.
How much is the Mysore Dasara Gold Card in 2026?
₹6,500 a person, or ₹6,961 with the booking fee and GST. The price is the same as last year. It covers a numbered Jumboo Savari seat, the Torchlight Parade, one drone show, and one-time entry to the Palace, Chamundi Hill and the zoo.
Where can I book Mysore Dasara tickets?
Only through TicketGenie, via the official portal mysoredasara.gov.in. The administration says there are no counters or agents selling them, so treat any other seller as unofficial.
Can I watch the Jumboo Savari for free?
Yes. The procession passes along public roads between the Palace and Bannimantap, and you can watch from the roadside along the route without a ticket. Arrive several hours early for a front spot, and expect large crowds and police barricades.
What are the Mysuru Palace illumination timings during Dasara 2026?
The Palace is lit from 7 pm every evening of the festival. On 21 October the illumination stays on until midnight. The city lights along Sayyaji Rao Road are switched on at 6:30 pm on 11 October.
Sources
- Mysuru Dasara 2026 official portal: tickets and event information (checked 9 October 2026)
- Star of Mysore: Dasara Gold Cards, event tickets go online (21 September 2026)
- News Karnataka: Mysuru Dasara 2026 Gold Cards and tickets go online (22 September 2026)
- News Karnataka: Gavimath seer to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara 2026 (25 September 2026)
- Star of Mysore: Gavimutt Seer to open Dasara 2026 (25 September 2026)
- Siasat: Mysuru Dasara 2026 from October 11, Jumbo Savari on October 21 (10 July 2026)
