Mysore/Mysuru: Crowds have returned to exhibitions and other events in Mysuru after two years of COVID pandemic and the resultant curbs and restrictions. While events including political and cultural are pulling crowds, exhibitions are seeing more and more footfalls, especially during weekends.

Take the Special Dasara Exhibition organised by the Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) at Doddakere Maidan for example. Crowds are back with gusto and people are indulging in shopping and other entertainment programmes.

Last weekend, the expo saw the entry of thousands of people. There were many takers for food and amusement activities that were a strict no during the thick of the pandemic. 

The 66-day Special Dasara Exhibition was inaugurated on Nov. 27 last year and was closed after functioning for about 43 days due to a spike COVID-19 cases in the third wave. 

The Special Exhibition which was organised to make up for the loss sustained due to cancellation of the annual Dasara Exhibition for over two years in a row, resumed after a short break on Feb. 19. According to officials at the KEA, the expo will be for 23 days and will end on Mar. 12.

The exhibition has a wide range of shopping, food and games with over 142 stalls selling variety of products from all over India. Stalls including cottage industry, pottery and handicrafts from Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan etc. are pulling people like a magnet.