As the annual Nada Habba Dasara festival kicks off, all roads will lead to Mysuru. The festivities began with a traditional puja at Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills. Writer Nadoja Hampa Nagarajaiah offered floral tributes to the presiding deity, Goddess Chamundeshwari. This nine-day celebration, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists worldwide, will culminate with the grand Vijayadashami procession starting from Mysore Palace on October 12. After inaugurating the festival, Nadoja Hampa Nagarajaiah, also known as Hampanna, recalled the childhood joy of playing with dolls at home. He emphasized that Dasara reflects Karnataka’s rich cultural diversity and is widely celebrated by all the people in the state. Scion of the Mysuru royal family and Member of Parliament, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, convened the annual private darbar at Mysore Palace. The puja and darbar will take place over all nine days of Navratri. A variety of cultural events awaits visitors at the Mysuru Dasara, including Yuva Dasara featuring Ilaiyaraaja and A R Rahman for the first time in Mysuru, a food fair, a flower exhibition, and a book fair. This year's film festival pays tribute to the late actor-filmmaker Dwarakish.