Mysuru Dasara 2026 runs from Sunday, 11 October to Wednesday, 21 October, with the grand Jamboo Savari elephant procession on Vijayadashami, 21 October. Mysuru follows its own panchang, so its Vijayadashami comes one day after north India’s Dussehra, which falls on Tuesday 20 October. Mysuru’s own airport has very limited scheduled flights, so most visitors fly into Bengaluru (BLR) and drive roughly three hours to Mysuru, where the illuminated palace is the city’s nightly centrepiece through the festival.
Updated October 2026 · HappyFares
Mysuru’s Dasara is one of Karnataka’s grandest state festivals, built around the Mysore Palace, a procession of caparisoned elephants and ten days of cultural programming. Here is the 2026 schedule and the practical side of flying in.
When is Mysuru Dasara 2026?
The 2026 festival runs from Sunday, 11 October, when the Dasara flag is inaugurated, through Wednesday, 21 October, Vijayadashami, the day of the Jamboo Savari. The Karnataka state government sets the schedule each year in consultation with scholars and the local panchang, so exact ceremony timings can shift slightly from year to year even when the overall span stays close to ten days.
For 2026, the Jamboo Savari itself is scheduled for the afternoon of 21 October, inside what astrologers call an auspicious lagna window, with the procession moving from the Mysore Palace grounds toward Bannimantap at the edge of the city.
What is the Jamboo Savari, and what else happens during Dasara?
Jamboo Savari is the festival’s centrepiece, a procession of decorated elephants, one of which traditionally carries the idol of the presiding deity on a golden howdah, moving through Mysuru’s streets accompanied by dance troupes, tableaux and marching bands. It marks the formal close of the ten-day celebration.
In the days before Jamboo Savari, the city runs a packed cultural calendar, including the Mysuru Dasara Yuva Dasara and other music, dance and sports programming spread across venues in the city, alongside the official Dasara exhibition grounds that stay open through the festival period. The exhibition grounds typically combine stalls, rides and food courts with evening entertainment, and tend to stay open well beyond the main festival window since they are popular with local families as much as visitors.
A torchlight parade is also traditionally held in the final stretch before Jamboo Savari, moving through the city at night and drawing its own crowd separate from the daytime procession. Exact routes and timings for these events are published closer to the festival each year, so check the official Dasara schedule once it is released if you want to plan your evenings around a specific programme.
How is the Mysore Palace lit up during Dasara?
The Amba Vilas Palace is illuminated every evening through the festival, typically from around 7 pm to 10 pm, with the display extended later into the night on Sundays and on Vijayadashami itself. The palace is strung with a very large number of light bulbs for the occasion, making it one of the most recognisable sights of Dasara and a major draw for evening visitors even on nights with no scheduled event. Viewing from the palace grounds is free.
How do you fly into Mysuru for Dasara?
Mysuru’s own airport (MYQ) has historically run only a thin schedule of flights, mainly short regional connections, and service to it has started and stopped repeatedly over the years as airline economics on the route shifted. Because of this, most visitors flying in for Dasara land at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (BLR), which has far wider domestic and international connectivity, and then travel on to Mysuru by road, a trip of roughly three hours depending on traffic.
Given Dasara’s popularity, it is worth checking Mysuru’s own flight status closer to your travel date rather than assuming it is running, since availability on that route tends to change.
Getting around Mysuru during the festival
Traffic around the palace and the main festival venues gets noticeably heavier through the ten days, and roads near Dhalpur-style processions elsewhere in Karnataka are not the only ones affected. In Mysuru, expect diversions and parking restrictions close to the palace on the busiest evenings, particularly around the illumination hours and on Jamboo Savari day itself. Many visitors find it easier to walk the last stretch to the palace rather than drive right up to it once the festival is underway.
Hotel rooms in Mysuru book out well ahead of the festival, especially for the final weekend around Jamboo Savari, so it is worth locking in accommodation at the same time you book your flight to Bengaluru rather than leaving it for later.
Common Questions
What is the exact date of Jamboo Savari in 2026?
It falls on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, which is Vijayadashami, the final day of the festival.
Can I fly directly to Mysuru instead of Bengaluru?
Only if Mysuru airport (MYQ) happens to have an active scheduled flight at the time of your travel, since its service has been intermittent. Checking current status before booking is sensible, and Bengaluru remains the more dependable gateway.
How far is Mysuru from Bengaluru airport?
It is roughly a three-hour drive, though this varies with traffic and the time of day you travel.
Is the Mysore Palace illumination free to watch?
Yes, viewing the illuminated palace from the grounds is free, though entry to certain areas or events during the festival may have separate access rules.
Does the Dasara schedule change every year?
The overall span stays close to ten days, but exact ceremony dates and timings are set annually based on the lunar calendar and local panchang, so it is worth checking the current year’s official schedule rather than assuming last year’s dates.
Is Mysuru very crowded during Dasara?
Yes, it is one of the city’s busiest periods, especially around the palace grounds and along the Jamboo Savari route, so booking accommodation and travel well ahead is advisable.
Planning a Dasara trip to Mysuru? Search flights to Bengaluru on HappyFares, set a price alert if your dates are flexible, and ask Meera for a quick route comparison before you book.
Festival schedules, airport operations and timings change. Verify current specifics with the Karnataka government’s Dasara authorities or the airport before you travel.
