Mysuru: The bedecked and illuminated city of palaces, which has played host to cultural, sports and several other events over the last few days, is getting ready for the grand finale, the spectacular Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami Day that will bring the curtains down on the Dasara festivities on Saturday.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will kickstart the procession by offering pooja at the north gate of the Mysuru Palace and also offer floral tribute to the statue of goddess Chamundeswari ensconced in the 750kg golden howdah carried by 57- year- old elephant, Arjuna to the tunes of the nagaswara played by asthan vidwan, 80- year- old V Nataraj, who is participating in his 58th Dasara. Present on the occasion will be the 27th scion of the Mysuru royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and a several other dignitaries.

Besides howdah elephant Arjuna, 14 other caparisoned elephants, cultural troops from different states and tableaux will make their way through the city accompanied by eight platoons of police led by parade commander Shivaraju as part of the grand procession that draws viewers from not only around the country, but also the world.

The elephants, which are the star attraction, are being painted in bright colours by artist Nagalingaswamy, and will sport golden nails on the occasion.

Barricades have been erected on either side of the road all along the 5 km procession route from Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap to keep the lakh and more tourists watching it out of the way of the Dasara elephants, according to Mysuru Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep.

A torchlight parade held in the presence of Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala at Bannimantap in the evening will signal the end of the Dasara festivities.

Seating arrangements have been made for 25,400 people before the Mysuru Palace, and for 26,200 more at Bannimantap. Entry gates will be manned by the bookmyshow entertainment agency and visitors’ passes will be both bar coded and screened.

Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar to perform Ayudha Pooja
The scion of the Mysuru royal family, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will perform the Ayudha Pooja and hold his final “darbar” at the palace on Friday. On Saturday he will go on a “vijaya yathre” in his silver chariot and perform a banni pooja to mark the conclusion of the Dasara festivities.

Vinu, mahout of Arjuna who will be leading the Howdah elephant for the first time, is a fourth generation mahout. “My father Doddappajji, grandfather Channakeshavaiah and great grandfather Doddaiah were all mahouts of Dasara elephants. I have been accompanying my father to Dasara since childhood, Arjuna knows me quite well,” Vinu said.

Mysuru city is flooded with people and the hotel rooms in the city had 95 percent occupancy on Thursday. Almost 95 percent of rooms are booked on Friday and Saturday, according to Mysuru hotel owners association head Mr C Narayangowda. Foreign groups predominantly from England, France, Netherlands and a few businessmen from the US are among the visitors A special enclosure has been created at Ayurvedic Circle premises for foreigners, according to Ashok from the Travel agents association.