Mysuru: Dasara’s celebration for 10 famous days began in the city of the palace on Thursday with religious spirit, in the midst of the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic for the second year in a row.
Celebrated as ‘Habba Tone’ (State Festival), the celebration begins with senior political leaders and former Minister of Main BC Krishna and Minister of B Bumavaraj Bommai along with high-ranking officials in the idol of Dewi Chamundeshwari, the divinity of MySore Royals, on the Bukit Chamundi.
Krishna, who also served as Minister of External Affairs of Union and Governor of Maharashtra, was chosen by the government to inaugurate the Dasara celebration.
Minister of MySuru and Somashekar Cooperation, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Kannada and Culture Minister Sunil Kumar, Religious Endowments, Wakf and Minister of HAJ Shashikala Jolle and Mysore MP Pratap Sime, among others, are present at the initial.
With Covid-19 Pandemic Casting Shadows, the government has decided to regulate the 412nd Dasara celebration in a “simple” way, generally limiting it to follow traditions.
The 10-day event that every year exhibits Karnataka cultural heritage that increases with the forms of folk art and attracts large crowds and tourists, has been upgraded for the second year in a row because of Covid-19.
MySuru’s government has limited people in most events and has set up Live Telecasts.
The state government has published guidelines for celebrating the Dasara Festival in Mysuru limiting the number of participants of up to 500 at prominent Dasara events, such as cultural programs in front of the Amba Vilas Palace, Torch Lamp Parade (Jumbo Sawari).
‘Jumbo Sawari’ procession Gajah Capage who brought idol Dewi Chamundeshwari who was placed in Golden Howdah in Vijayadashmi or The 10th Day of the Festival, which marked the peak of the celebration on October 15, has been limited to where Amba Vilas Palace.
Also, cultural events, which are used to be held in more than a dozen places have been restricted to the palace place.
The palace, big streets, turnarounds or circles and mysuru building will be illuminated with lights at night during the celebration for 10 days.
In the palace too, the royal family will celebrate the celebration according to tradition.
The Navaratri celebration in the palace includes several rituals, the most extraordinary Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Scion of Mysuru Royal Family, wearing big clothes, doing typical of Durbar (Private Durbar) by riding the gold throne, in the middle of the song of the Vedic Nirkat song.
Dasara was celebrated by the rulers of the Vijayanagar imperial and traditions inherited by Wadiyars.
The celebration first began in Mysuru by Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I in 1610.
It became a private matters of the royal family after the elimination of Privy’s wallet in 1971 and termination of the privileges of the ruling of Istama.
However, low-locked Dasara was held on the initiative of the local community to the state government stepped in and the main minister D Devaraja Urs revived the Dasara celebration in 1975, which was followed to date.
Making it as a “luck” to be at the “Naada Devate” service (God of the State) Chamundeshwari, Chairman of the Bommai Minister said the world’s famous celebration had lost a slight luster for two years because Covid and expressed hope about celebrating the splendor and religious spirit from next year With Goddess blessings.
“I have prayed to the goddess to remove people from all the difficulties and covid pandemics,” he said.
S Mrishna, in his speech, called the youth as an asset for the nation, and emphasized the need to give them the right direction by setting the right type of ambition.
Given his long relationship with MySuru, he remembered the contribution of Royals for Mysuru, including promising their jewelry to build a Sagar Krishnaraja dam across the Cauvery River, which helped the progress of farmers in the region.
He suggested the state government to think of mysuru dasara package for tourism next year, aiming to cover all the main objectives in the state, when he showed that Singapore is an example of how a place can develop with the right cleanliness and planning.