Animals steal the show at Mysuru Dasara 2026

WhileMysuru celebrated the legacy of Ambari elephants during Dasara, several other animals emerged as showstoppers at various events during the festival this year.

From the majestic elephant carrying the golden howdah to adorable pets, animals stole the show during many events.

Ever since the elephants arrived from the Dubare camp on the Mysuru palace premises, they have remained a topic of daily discussions alongside preparations for Mysuru Dasara.

Elephants Prashanth, Abhimanyu, Gopi, Mahendra, Lakshmi, Sugreeva, Ekalvya and others are fondly remembered across households.

Their popularity extended beyond the Jamboo Savari. Even during the rehearsals in the weeks leading up to the festivities, people would crowd on roads.

As the city of palaces and royals, Mysuru is known for horse riding, and continued to keep that tradition alive this year. Horse riding performances at the Torchlight Parade at Bannimantap, marking the culmination of Vijayadashami, featured equestrian sports like tent pegging, horse jumping and fire jumping. Around 15 horses, trained by the Mounted Company, Mysuru, performed during the show, leaving spectators spellbound.

The traditional Tonga ride was a memorable experience for 40 couples in traditional attires, with 25 horses taking part in the unique event organised in the city.

Kambala

Kambala, introduced as an added attraction this year, featured 150 pairs of buffaloes from coastal Karnataka. Two day and night buffalo races held for the first time as part of Dasara celebration emerged as a crowd-puller.

With the participation of 18 cows belonging to various breeds, Raitha Dasara, which gave a rural touch to the festivities, received a good response from farmers from Mysuru and neighbouring districts.

An animal exhibition organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services showcased rare breeds of cattle and sheep. Hallikar bulls, Karnataka’s prominent indigenous cattle breed, were among the highlights of the two-day expo held at an open ground near Kukkarahalli Lake.

Around 51 Hallikar bull pairs participated in the expo, attracting farmers and creating awareness about the indigenous breed, which enjoyed royal patronage of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.

Pets, too, had their moment in the spotlight. The Pet Show received overwhelming response from pet lovers, especially youth and women. A day-long show, featured around 52 cats and 702 dogs of breeds such as German Shepherd, Lhasa Apso, Beagle, Shih Tzu, Doberman, Poodle, Great Dane, Rajapalyam, and Pugs. Around 30 pet birds also took part.

“Such platforms help us create global awareness about the various breeds” said B.N. Nanjesh, adding that depending on the budget, they may scale the event next year.

Mysuru is also home to the one of India’s oldest zoos, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, which celebrates its 134th anniversary this year, and the first cat museum, reflecting the city’s long association with animals.