Karnataka plans blueprint to make Dussehra tourist-centric

Karnataka is planning a blueprint to make the festival of Dussehra tourist-centric after an estimated 50 lakh tourists visited the state's Mysuru city during the festival from October 10-19, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said on Tuesday.

“Mysuru district officials have been directed to prepare a blueprint for more vivid and tourism-centric Dussehra. An estimated 50 lakh tourists visited Mysuru during the festival and 10-12 lakh watched the procession on the final day of the fest,” Kumaraswamy told reporters.

The chief minister was talking to the media on the occasion of the Janata-Dal-Secular (JD-S)-Congress coalition government completing 150 days in office.

During Dussehra, illumination of the Mysuru Palace, Dussehra special airshow and flower shows attract lakhs of tourists from across the world, generating revenue for the state.

On November 1, which marks Karnataka's formation day, the southern state will also flag off a folk art festival 'Janapada Jatre' in six places, in order to preserve the fading folk art forms, Kumaraswamy added.

He, however, did not name the cities and towns where the folk art celebrations would be held.