All roads will lead to Mysuru as the annual Nada Habba Dasara festival commences. The celebrations began with a traditional puja at Chamundeshwari Temple on top of Chamundi Hills, where writer Nadoja Hampa Nagarajaiah offered floral tributes to the presiding deity, Goddess Chamundeshwari. Drawing in hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world, this nine-day extravaganza will culminate with the grand Vijayadashami procession, starting from Mysore Palace on October 12. Reflecting on the festival's inauguration, Nadoja Hampa Nagarajaiah, also known as Hampanna, shared childhood memories of playing with dolls at home, emphasizing how Dasara showcases Karnataka's cultural diversity and is widely celebrated by people across the state.

Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family and Member of Parliament, conducted the annual private darbar at Mysore Palace, which will be held throughout the nine days of Navratri. A diverse range of cultural events awaits visitors at Mysuru Dasara, including the inaugural Yuva Dasara featuring Ilaiyaraaja and A R Rahman in Mysuru for the first time, a food fair, a flower exhibition, and a book fair. This year’s film festival will pay tribute to the late actor-filmmaker Dwarakish.