The vibrant Jamboo Savari procession, the grand finale of Mysuru’s iconic Dasara festival, saw a noticeably thinner crowd on October 2, 2025, as fears of stampedes and stringent police restrictions kept many spectators away from the five-kilometer route from Mysuru Palace to the Torchlight Parade Grounds in Bannimantap. Typically drawing over five lakh people, including throngs of foreign tourists, the annual spectacle was overshadowed this year by recent stampede tragedies at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium and a political rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, prompting heightened safety measures and a cautious public.

In previous years, the massive turnout often led to chaotic, stampede-like situations, with police resorting to mild lathicharge to manage crowds. This time, however, the atmosphere was markedly subdued. While pockets of spectators gathered at key junctions like Chamaraja Circle, KR Circle, and Sir M. Visvesvaraya Circle, large stretches of footpaths along the route remained sparsely populated. Some dedicated attendees secured prime viewing spots a day in advance, spreading mats, tarpaulins, and jamkhanas along Sayyaji Rao Road, while those with special passes claimed vantage points near Mysuru Palace and Chamaraja Circle. Yet, the usual fervor was dampened by both safety concerns and intermittent showers.

Authorities implemented unprecedented safety protocols to prevent mishaps. Climbing on dilapidated heritage structures like Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market was strictly prohibited, with police stationed at vulnerable points to enforce compliance. Barbed wire was wrapped around trees to deter youngsters from scaling them, and kiosks at road junctions blared repeated warnings against such actions. For the first time, double-layer barricades lined the procession route, creating safer zones for women and children at crowded points.

Despite these efforts, over 50 people, mostly women and children, were caught in crowd surges at busy junctions and required hospital treatment, with ambulances on standby. Police resorted to mild lathicharge in some areas to control sudden rushes as cultural troupes and caparisoned elephants paraded through the city.

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The absence of foreign tourists, typically a hallmark of the event, was particularly striking. Around 400 international visitors usually gather at a special enclosure near Sir M. Visvesvaraya Circle, organized by the Samskruthika Loka Trust, but this year’s restrictions led to their complete absence, robbing the procession of its global flair. Local attendees, however, remained undeterred in parts, braving the weather and regulations to witness the majestic elephants and vibrant performances that define the Jamboo Savari.

The scaled-back turnout and heavy security underscore the delicate balance between preserving cultural traditions and ensuring public safety in the wake of recent tragedies. While the procession retained its grandeur, the thinner crowds and missing international presence left a bittersweet note for organizers and residents alike. As Mysuru reflects on this year’s Dasara, calls are growing for better crowd management strategies to restore the festival’s full vibrancy while keeping safety first.

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