Mysuru Dasara traditionally runs 10 days: nine nights of Navaratri followed by Vijayadashami. In 2026 it stretches to 11 days, from October 11 to October 21, because the Dashami tithi falls at sunrise on the last day rather than in the afternoon before. The length actually changes most years.
How Many Days Does Mysore Dasara Last?
The short answer is 10 days. Mysore Dussehra covers the nine nights of Navaratri, plus Vijayadashami, the day the festival actually ends. Count Pratipada through Dashami on the lunar calendar, and you get ten tithis in a row.
The calendar date count doesn't always match that tithi count, though. A tithi can stretch across two sunrises or get skipped entirely, depending on the year. When that happens, the solar calendar runs a day longer or shorter than the lunar one. Karnataka's government has held the 11-day Dasara eight times in the past, and 2026 is one of those years. This year's programme runs October 11 to October 21, eleven calendar days for what's still a ten-tithi festival underneath.
What Happens During the Days of Mysore Dasara Festival?
The Mysore Dasara festival breaks down into three phases.
The first nine nights are Navaratri. Each night honours a different form of the goddess, with pujas held across the city and at home. Many households set up a golu doll display for the nine nights. This is also when most cultural programmes happen- concerts, dance, and folk performances at venues across Mysuru.
Day nine is Mahanavami, paired with Ayudha Puja, where tools, vehicles, and instruments get worshipped. In 2026, it is on October 20.
The final day is Vijayadashami, the day of Jamboo Savari, the procession that closes the festival. A golden howdah carries the goddess from the Palace to the Bannimantap grounds, and a Torchlight Parade wraps up the night with fireworks.
Why Do Some Sources Say Mysuru Dasara Lasts Longer?
If you've seen Mysuru Dasara described as three weeks, or even two months, that's not wrong either. It just depends on what's being counted.
City-wide illumination usually runs longer than the core ten days, often closer to three weeks in total. The Dasara Exhibition opens during the festival and stays open well till December, so visitors can still catch it long after Vijayadashami and the preparations start even earlier. The Dasara elephants arrive at the Palace weeks before the festival opens for training and a Gaja Puja welcome ceremony, which marks their formal arrival and participation in the Dasara celebrations.
The religious festival itself runs 10 or 11 days. Everything built around it, the lighting, the exhibition, the elephant camp, stretches a lot further.
What Happens at Mysore Palace During Dasara?
Mysore Palace Dasara celebrations centre on two things: the lighting and the procession.
Dussehra in Mysore Palace means nearly a lakh bulbs are switched on every evening, usually from 7 to 10 PM, for the length of the festival. It's one of the most memorable images of the whole celebration.
The Palace forecourt is also where Jamboo Savari begins. The Chief Minister performs a puja there, flowers go onto the golden howdah, and the elephants step out from under the Palace arches to start the procession. For Mysore Palace Dussehra, this one afternoon draws a bigger crowd than any other single event in the festival.
If the Dasara celebration in Mysore is on your travel list this year, our complete Dasara 2026 guide has the full day-by-day schedule. Celebrating from home instead? Cycle.in's Dasara / Dussehra collection covers festive puja essentials, and the Dasara Doll Stand is there if you're setting up a golu display for the nine nights.
