Overview

• The 11-day festival runs from September 22 to October 2, culminating in the Vijayadashami Jumbo Savari led by caparisoned elephants.
• Temple ceremonies at Sri Chamundeshwari begin at 4:30 a.m., and Banu Mushtaq will inaugurate the festivities during the Vrischika lagna between 10:10 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.
• More than 6,000 personnel, including Commando Forces, Rapid Action Force, KSRP, and city and district police units, are deployed under a two-phase plan for the inauguration and related events.
• Cultural programmes span multiple venues, with the Palace event opening Monday as the CM confers the Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan Award on M. Venkatesh Kumar, followed by concerts featuring Hariharan, Abhishek Raghuram, Niladri Kumar, and others, plus Yuva Dasara and a flower show themed on Operation Sindhoor.
• A Dasara Book Fair runs September 22 to October 1 at the Scouts and Guides Grounds, to be inaugurated by Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, with the CM set to release a book on Banu Mushtaq during the Dasara opening.