Dasara, or Vijayadashami, is one of Karnataka’s most cherished festivals, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil through legends of Goddess Chamundeshwari and Lord Rama. While celebrated across India, Karnataka holds a special bond, with Mysuru as the cultural heart. The royal processions, traditions, and grandeur preserve the Wodeyar legacy, while the festival also stands out for its Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka, uniting generations in culture and celebration.

Beyond mythology, Dasara is also a feast of flavors. Families enjoy recipes passed down for generations—ghee-rich obbattu from Mysuru, spicy snacks and jolada from the north, and coconut-based curries and payasas from the coast. These dishes embody heritage and togetherness. This blog explores Karnataka’s most loved Dasara delicacies, from banana leaf meals to festive sweets and snacks, making the festival both spiritual and flavorful.

List of Top 10 Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka

Karnataka’s festive tables during Dasara are a reflection of both tradition and indulgence. Families prepare a spread that mixes sweets, snacks, and full meals, each carrying its own story. Here’s a list of the dishes that are not only loved during this season but have also come to define the state’s festive cuisine:

Mysore Pak 

Perhaps the most celebrated sweet of Karnataka, Mysore Pak, has its origins in the Mysuru royal kitchens. Made from just gram flour, ghee, and sugar, it transforms into a golden sweet block that crumbles yet melts instantly in the mouth. During Dasara, hardly any household in Karnataka skips making or buying this classic, as it remains the star of the festival spread.

Preparation Steps

• Roast gram flour lightly.
• Heat ghee and sugar to make a syrup.
• Slowly add flour to the syrup, stirring constantly.
• Cook until mixture thickens and leaves sides.
• Pour into a greased tray, cool, and cut into blocks.

Also Read – Mysore Dussehra Food Festival 2025

Obbattu (Holige / Puran Poli)

A soft sweet flatbread stuffed with a mixture of jaggery and dal, drenched in ghee before serving. It is considered a symbol of prosperity, and different regions make slight changes in the filling to suit local tastes. While Old Mysuru favors toor dal, coastal homes often add coconut for a sweeter version.

Preparation Steps

• Cook dal (toor or chana) and mash with jaggery or coconut.
• Add cardamom for flavor and set aside for stuffing.
• Make soft dough with flour, oil, and water.
• Roll dough balls, fill with stuffing, and flatten gently.
• Roast on a hot tawa with ghee until golden.

Bisi Bele Bath 

A hearty rice and dal preparation cooked with tamarind for tanginess and a special masala mix that gives it its distinct identity. This dish is a complete festive meal in itself, often prepared in large quantities when extended families gather, offering both comfort and flavor in every bite.

Preparation Steps

• Cook rice and toor dal separately.
• Prepare tamarind water and set aside.
• Roast spices with chana dal, dry red chilies, and coconut to make masala.
• Mix rice, dal, tamarind water, masala, and salt.
• Season with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ghee before serving.

Kosambari 

Light, refreshing, and healthy, Kosambari is a mix of soaked lentils with cucumber or carrot, grated coconut, and lemon juice. Served as a starter on banana-leaf spreads, this dish balances the richness of the rest of the festive menu and is a reminder of how Karnataka blends nutrition with celebration.

Preparation Steps

• Soak moong dal for 30 minutes.
• Drain and mix with grated cucumber or carrot.
• Add grated coconut and chopped coriander.
• Season with lemon juice, salt, and green chili.
• Garnish with curry leaves and serve fresh.

Puliyogare (Tamarind Rice) 

Tangy rice mixed with tamarind paste, seasoning, and crunchy peanuts. It is not only a household favorite but also famously prepared in temples during Dasara, where it is offered as prasada. Many people believe it carries the taste of devotion and community sharing.

Preparation Steps

• Cook rice and let it cool slightly.
• Prepare tamarind pulp or paste.
• Roast and grind spices (sesame, coriander, chilies).
• Heat oil, add mustard, peanuts, curry leaves, and tamarind paste.
• Mix well with rice and masala until coated.

Rava Ladoo 

Tiny round sweets made from roasted semolina, ghee, cardamom, and sugar. Easy to prepare and store, they are the kind of treat children sneak into the kitchen for during festival days. Their delicate sweetness makes them a regular feature for celebrations.

Preparation Steps

• Roast rava (semolina) until fragrant.
• Add ghee, sugar, and cardamom.
• Mix well and let it cool slightly.
• Shape into small round balls while still warm.
• Garnish with raisins or cashews if desired.

Chakli (Murukku) 

A deep-fried, spiral-shaped snack made using rice flour and gram flour. Crisp and subtly spiced, chaklis are an evergreen festive favorite, paired with evening tea as family and friends gather to chat and celebrate the season together.

Preparation Steps

• Mix rice flour, gram flour, chili powder, and sesame.
• Add butter and knead with water into soft dough.
• Use a chakli press to shape spirals.
• Deep fry in hot oil until crisp and golden.
• Drain on paper and cool before storing.

Kodubale 

A traditional Karnataka snack shaped like small rings, flavored with chili, coconut, and curry leaves. Known for its crunch and addictive taste, kodubale is a snack that families prepare in bulk before Dasara, ensuring a tin is always on hand to offer guests.

Preparation Steps

• Mix rice flour, roasted gram flour, chili powder, and coconut.
• Add hot oil or butter and knead with water.
• Roll small portions into rings.
• Deep fry in medium-hot oil until crisp.
• Cool and store in an airtight container.

Payasa (Kheer) 

This creamy dessert, often made with rice, dal, or thin vermicelli simmered in milk and flavored with cardamom, is considered an auspicious dish. Garnished with cashews and raisins fried in ghee, it is offered to deities before being savored by the family.

Preparation Steps

• Roast vermicelli or cook rice/dal until soft.
• Boil milk and add cooked base.
• Sweeten with sugar or jaggery.
• Add cardamom for flavor.
• Garnish with ghee-fried cashews and raisins.

Nippattu 

Flat, crispy rice crackers mixed with peanuts, sesame, and spices. With their nutty, savory bite, they are the ideal festive snack that perfectly complements the sweet dishes served during the celebrations.

Preparation Steps

• Mix rice flour, peanuts, sesame, curry leaves, and spices.
• Add butter and knead with water into firm dough.
• Roll small discs by hand or with a press.
• Deep fry in hot oil until golden and crispy.
• Cool and store in airtight tin.

These ten specialties capture the heart of Karnataka’s Dasara food culture. They are more than just dishes – they are family traditions, regional stories, and the flavors that bring generations together during one of the state’s grandest festivals.

Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka Veg

In Karnataka, Dasara is marked not only by celebrations and rituals but also by the preparation of satvik vegetarian meals, especially on Vijayadashami. These meals are first offered to the goddess as a symbol of devotion before being shared with family and guests. Known as Bale Yele Oota (a traditional banana leaf feast), the spread is elaborate, carefully balanced, and prepared to represent purity and harmony. A typical meal includes:

• Steamed rice with ghee – The base of the feast, fluffy white rice served hot with a drizzle of homemade ghee. It acts as the foundation for enjoying various curries and dals.
• Thovve (spiced moong dal) – A lightly spiced, wholesome dal preparation that adds comfort to the meal. Its simplicity brings out the essence of satvik cooking.
• Majjige Huli (vegetables in spiced buttermilk curry) – A mild yet flavorful curry where vegetables are simmered in curd or buttermilk, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cooling to the palate, it balances stronger dishes on the leaf.
• Palya (dry vegetable stir-fry) – Simple stir-fried vegetables such as beans, carrots, or cabbage, seasoned with grated coconut, mustard seeds, and green chilies. Light and nutritious, palyas are essential to every festive thali.
• Saaru (spicy tamarind rasam) – A tangy, peppery soup-like dish made with tamarind extract, rasam powder, and herbs. Saaru is a staple in South Indian feasts, known for aiding digestion while adding zest to the meal.
• Kosambari (dal and cucumber salad) – A refreshing preparation of soaked moong dal or chana dal mixed with cucumber, coconut, and lemon. This crunchy, cool salad balances the richness of fried items and gravies.
• Huli (tamarind-based sambar with seasonal vegetables) – A thicker lentil gravy with tamarind and freshly ground spices. It is heartier than rasam and combines perfectly with rice, making it a comforting centerpiece dish.
• Pickles and chutneys – Traditional accompaniments made with mango, lime, or other seasonal ingredients that provide bursts of spice and tang. They enhance every bite of the banana leaf meal.
• Papad and curd rice to finish – The feast often ends with crunchy papads paired with cool curd rice, which soothes the stomach after the flavorful spread, leaving diners satisfied.

These vegetarian dishes are mild yet deeply flavorful, cooked with balance and care to represent tradition, purity, and devotion. Served on banana leaves, the meal is enjoyed while sitting with family and guests, reinforcing the spirit of togetherness and gratitude that defines Dasara celebrations in Karnataka.

Traditional Sweets Prepared During Dasara

Sweets hold a place of honor during Dasara celebrations in Karnataka. Beyond their taste, they symbolize prosperity, joy, and the warmth of sharing festive moments with loved ones. Every household and sweet shop comes alive during this season, with trays of freshly prepared delicacies that are offered to the goddess, shared with guests, and exchanged among neighbors. Over the years, several iconic sweets have become inseparably tied to the spirit of Dasara, carrying both culinary delight and cultural meaning.

Mysore Pak – Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka

Among Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka, Mysore Pak reigns supreme. With its origins in the opulent Mysore Palace kitchens, this golden delicacy was first crafted to please royalty and quickly found its way into every household. Made with copious amounts of ghee, gram flour (besan), and sugar, it is slow-cooked until it reaches that perfect balance – slightly crumbly outside yet rich and melt-in-the-mouth inside. The ghee aroma fills the air as soon as it’s cut into blocks, making it irresistible during feasts. Traditionally, families prepare larger batches during Dasara to share with friends, relatives, and neighbors, carrying forward the old custom of exchanging sweets as blessings.

Obbattu (Holige / Puran Poli) – A Symbol of Prosperity

Obbattu is another staple that defines Karnataka’s festival tables, especially during Ugadi and Dasara. This festive flatbread is prepared by stuffing a fragrant filling of jaggery and cooked lentils (usually chana dal or toor dal) inside a delicate dough. The flatbread is then rolled out and roasted on a tawa with a generous amount of ghee until spots of golden brown appear. Soft, rich, and slightly chewy, Obbattu is typically served warm with either more ghee drizzled on top or alongside a small bowl of warm milk. What makes it even more special is the variety: different regions have their own versions such as coconut Obbattu or sesame-stuffed variations, reflecting local tastes. Beyond its flavor, it symbolizes abundance, and offering it to the goddess is seen as a gesture of gratitude and devotion during the festival.

Rava Ladoo and Coconut Burfi – Simple Yet Beloved

These simple yet loved sweets add balance and variety to the Dasara festive platter. Rava Ladoo, also called Sooji Ladoo, is made by roasting semolina in ghee, blending it with sugar, cardamom, and dry fruits, and rolling it into small balls. What makes it beloved is not just the flavor but also its ease of preparation and long shelf life, making it perfect for gifting. Coconut Burfi, on the other hand, brings a rustic charm to the feast. Prepared using freshly grated coconut cooked with jaggery or sugar, flavored with a touch of cardamom, and cut into squares, this sweet carries the earthy essence of traditional Indian kitchens. Prepared side by side with Rava Ladoo, they offer a delightful mix of textures and flavors – one nutty and soft, the other chewy and rich – making them festive staples for family gatherings and neighborly exchanges.

These traditional sweets together embody what Dasara means in Karnataka – sharing, abundance, joy, and the irresistible charm of homemade treats that carry memories across generations.

Popular Karnataka Veg Snacks During Dussehra

No festival in Karnataka feels truly complete without a batch of crunchy snacks. During Dasara, these savory treats share the spotlight with sweets and full-course meals. Families often spend hours preparing these snacks ahead of time so they can be enjoyed throughout the ten-day celebration. Carefully stored in tins or jars, these treats become a reliable companion for evening tea, unexpected guests, and casual conversations during the festivities. Each snack brings its own distinct flavor and texture, reflecting Karnataka’s love for bold, homemade crunch.

Kodubale

Kodubale is one of the most iconic Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka, instantly recognizable by its small, ring shape. Made from a dough that combines rice flour, roasted gram flour, grated coconut, red chili powder, and sesame seeds, these spicy rings are deep-fried until perfectly crisp. The name “Kodubale” comes from the Kannada word kodu, meaning horn, referring to their curved, horn-like form. Known for their bold fiery kick and satisfying crunch, Kodubale are often the first to vanish from festive snack boxes. They are much more than just a snack – they are a time-honored festival tradition passed down through generations.

Chakli / Murukku

Chakli, also known as murukku in Tamil Nadu, is another essential during Dasara in Karnataka homes. Made from rice flour and urad dal flour, the dough is seasoned with cumin, sesame seeds, and chili before being pressed into spiral shapes using a traditional chakli press. These spirals are then fried until golden and crunchy. Prepared in large batches, chakli is stored for days, ready to be served with hot coffee or tea whenever guests arrive. For many families, the sight of a tin full of chaklis brings back warm childhood memories.

Nippattu

Nippattu is a thin, flat cracker that offers a wonderful mix of flavors. Made with rice flour, roasted peanuts, roasted gram, sesame seeds, and red chili powder, the dough is shaped into thin rounds and fried until crisp. What makes nippattu special is its nutty crunch, followed by a lingering spicy warmth. Unlike sweets, these savory bites are enjoyed any time of the day, making them a popular snack throughout the festival. A simple cup of tea paired with nippattu perfectly captures the cozy essence of Dasara evenings.

Conclusion for Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka

Dasara in Karnataka is more than lights, processions, and performances-it’s a festival of flavors and memory. From Mysore Pak and Obbattu to Bisi Bele Bath and crisp Kodubale, the season’s food showcases the breadth of Karnataka’s cuisine. Each dish carries the warmth of home, the spirit of celebration, and a wish for prosperity.

Sharing is at the heart of it all: sweets for neighbors, snacks for guests, and family meals served on banana leaves. These customs keep Karnataka’s identity alive and pass its heritage from one generation to the next.

For visitors, tasting the festival is essential. Through these dishes, you feel the soul of Dasara-joyful, abundant, and firmly rooted in tradition.

FAQs for Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka

Q1. What are the most popular Dussehra Special Food Items in Karnataka?

Ans:- Oh, the usual stuff everyone loves! Mysore Pak is the big favorite-sweet and buttery, you know? Then there’s Obbattu, which is like this yummy flatbread with sweet filling. Bisi Bele Bath is that spicy lentil rice thing which tastes awesome. Puliyogare is tangy lemon rice. People also munch on crispy snacks like Kodubale and Chakli. Honestly, the food is just a big deal-it’s what makes the festival feel real.

Q2. Are Dasara meals in Karnataka vegetarian?

Ans:- Yeah, these meals are vegetarian, always. The food goes to the goddess first before anyone touches it, so there’s a kind of respect there. It’s a tradition that’s been there forever and everyone sticks to it.

Q3. Why is food served on banana leaves during Dasara?

Ans:- Banana leaves? That’s just how things have been done for ages. They’re natural, they make the food taste a bit different, and they’re good for the environment too. Eating off banana leaves just feels right, like being connected to nature somehow.

Q4. What are the main ingredients in Dasara sweets?

Ans:- Sweets are made from usual stuff like ghee, jaggery, sugar, coconut, cardamom, and semolina. Nothing fancy but when mixed up, they come out tasting so good and it’s like a blessing when you eat them.

Q5. What makes Mysore Pak special?

Ans:- Mysore Pak is this rich sweet that melts fast in your mouth. It started in the royal kitchens in Mysore, which is kinda cool. Lots of ghee goes into it-makes it taste extra good and soft.

Q6. What snacks are commonly made during Dasara?

Ans:- Crunchy snacks like Kodubale, Chakli, and Nippattu are made a lot during Dasara. These keep well and are perfect for sharing with guests or just snacking anytime.

Q7. Why do people exchange sweets and snacks during Dasara?

Ans:- Sharing sweets and snacks is just part of the festival. It’s a nice way to spread happiness, say hello to neighbors, and makes the whole celebration feel warmer and better.