Mysore : The 404th dasara drew to a colourful close with the Jamboo Savari which was witnessed by over 5 lakh people.

Arjuna, the caparisoned elephant, carried the 750-kg Golden Howdah bearing the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari from Amba Vilas Palace to Bannimantap. Arjuna was flanked by kumki elephants Mary and Kaveri.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offered puja to the Nandi Dwaja at the Balarama Gate of the Amba Vilas Palace at 1:08 pm during the auspicious Dhanur Lagna to kickstart the grand finale. The procession reached Bannimantap at 5:05 pm.

Siddaramaiah took everybody by surprise by lifting the Nandi Dwaja and even danced with it for a few seconds.

Floral tributes to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari by the chief minister at the start of the Jamboo Savari was delayed by an hour as mounting the Golden Howdah on Arjuna took time.

The Howdah had tilted during previous Dasaras and this time extra precaution was taken.

A 21-gun salute was accorded while Siddaramaiah, accompanied by district in-charge minister V Sreenivas Prasad and Mayor N M Rajeshwari Somu, offered floral tributes at 3:13 pm.

The chief minister stressed that Dasara is a festival of the people and its message was that good would prevail over evil forces. Siddaramaiah said that he prayed for peace and prosperity of the people of the state.

A total of 45 tableaux, including one each from Telangana and Pondichery, and 71 folk art troupes, and 12 from other states, were part of the procession.

Dakshina Kannada Jillapanchyath Bhotaradhane tableaux with the slogan of  `Edde Benle yenna Beri sayo undu’ attracted in Jamboo Savari procession.

Kadri Gopalnath Saxophone and Praveen Godkindi flute jugalbandi attracted the Asthan Music lovers.  

Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the wife of the late Maharaja of Mysore Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, offered her obeisance to Goddess Chamundeshwari from the palace.

The royal family conducted the Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami rituals on Friday. This is the first Dasara to be held in the absence of a heir to the throne.