Srirangapatna, Sept. 26 -- The four-day Srirangapatna Dasara began with grandeur in the historic Island-Fort town of Srirangapatna in Mandya district yesterday. The opening day of the festival was highlighted by the spectacular Jumboo Savari procession.

The procession was launched at Bannimantap, near Kirangur Circle on the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway, at 3.40 pm. A team of priests led by Dr. Bhanuprakash Sharma performed the traditional Bannipooja and associated rituals before the procession commenced.

Thousands of devotees gathered along both sides of the road, filling every available space, to witness the showering of petals on the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari atop the Ambari-carrying elephant Mahendra, accompanied by the chanting of ...