Crowd limit only on paper

The ceiling on audience at the Dasara finale on Friday remained only on paper as large crowds turned up at the palace to watch the Jamboo Savari.

The government had restricted the number of attendees to 500. But the number exceeded to a large extent with no check on the crowds.

The public had gathered outside the palace at the statue circle to get a glimpse of the “utsava murthy” of Goddess Chamundeshwari seated in the 750-kg golden howdah mounted on the back of tusker Abhimanyu, the lead elephant.

With the palace entry limited to a select few, the public gathered near the Balarama Gate of the palace to try their luck in seeing the procession from a distance.