Mysuru Dasara: Celebrating the Eternal Victory of Good Over Evil

Dasara festival in Mysuru draws thousands of people from across the country to mark the victory of good over evil.

Elephants set to take part in the procession.

(Photo Courtesy: Mysuru Dasara Government)

A Chronicle of the ‘Nada Habba’

Mysuru Dasara, popularly known as the ‘Nada Habba’, or the state festival of Karnataka, is held for a span of ten days, starting 21 September this year.

The festival achieved prominence under the Vijayanagar Kings in the 15th century. The Wodeyars of Mysore continued the colourful extravaganza under the leadership of Raja Wodeyar I.

It was during his reign that the tradition of having a special ‘durbar’ or a royal assembly in the Mysore Palace began. This custom continues till date, with the current scion of the Wodeyar family holding a private durbar during Dasara.

The festival is celebrated to honour Goddess ‘Chamundeshwari’ for killing the monster ‘Mahishasura’.

Dance performance at the ‘Yuva Sambhrama’. (Photo Courtesy: Mysuru Dasara Government)

Distinct Attractions of the Festival

Elaborate preparations go into the events that take place during the festival. A number of programs are organised around the Mysore Palace, which is illuminated with over 1,00,000 bulbs.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah inaugurated the cultural events on 21 September. This was followed by engaging dance dramas by Prabhath artists and Sudhachandran. The efforts of many government departments and committees go into planning and organising the mega event. Performers and artists from across the country are invited to display their talent.

Some of the eminent personalities who are expected to perform this Dasara are Shubha Mudgal, Ustad Lakhwinder Wadali, Pandit Prakash Sontakke and troupe, TM Krishna, Ustad Talat Aziz and Madhu Nataraj.

Also Read: 10 Day Long Dasara Festival Culminates in Mysuru

Elephants lined up for ‘Gajapathi Swagatha’. (Photo Courtesy: Mysuru Dasara Government)

One of the most awaited events is the Mysuru Dasara procession, ‘Jamboo Savari’. A herd of intricately decorated elephants march from the palace to the Bannimantap Grounds.

The 57-year-old elephant named ‘Arjuna’ will carry the 750-kilogram golden howdah which houses the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari. This draws its significance from an age-old custom.

It was believed that the ‘banni’ tree was worshipped by kings before they set off for a war to help them win. 

Sporting events are also an integral part of the festivities. The sports meet was inaugurated at the Chamundi Vihar Stadium on 21 September. A wide range of sports, from athletics to gymnastics form a part of the meet. While the sporting events have an eligibility criteria, the half marathon to be held on 24 September is open to all.

We have received around 6,000 registrations for the half-marathon this year. But, we can accommodate only 2,500 people in the Oval Ground. A cash prize of 30,000 rupees will be awarded to the winner. 

Srikanth, Convener, Dasara half-marathon

Dasara wrestling matches attract many from the local community. It was a tradition followed by the Wodeyars, and is kept alive even today. This Indian-style wrestling (‘Nada Kushti’) involves the participation of more than 400 wrestlers, who compete for a cash prize of up to 16,000 rupees.

Every year, the Dasara celebration includes some events exclusively for farmers. The District in-charge and the PWD Minister launched the Farmers Dasara Procession on 22 September. Entertaining activities like gunny bag hopping, lemon and spoon and cow-milking is a part of the agenda this year.

This year’s flower show was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 21 September, and is themed ‘Constitution, Equality and Brotherhood’. Flower formations of majestic structures like Eiffel Tower, Somnathpur Temple and Big Clock Tower will be displayed. The Kuppanna Park will house over 2,00,000 varieties of flowers this year.

Food is an important element of any festival, and therefore, the Department of Food and Civil Supply has launched a food mela in Scouts and Guides and Hotel Lalit Mahal. The signature dishes served this year are bamboo biriyani and authentic tribal food.

We started the preparations for the food <i>mela</i> from the month of August itself. We are serving in two venues this year because we expect an inflow of over 1,00,000 people. Cuisines ranging from regional to continental dishes will be available.&nbsp;

K Rameshwarappa, Senior Deputy Director, Food and Civil Supplies Department.

Yoga rehearsal as part of Yoga Dasara.( Photo Cortesy: Mysuru Dasara Government)

Since yoga is considered to be an ideal form of exercise for mental and physical well-being, it is a part of the festivity in Mysuru Dasara. Yoga practitioners, students and general public take part in the rehearsal. A state level yoga competition is scheduled to be held on 24 September this year.

There is something for everyone in this 10-day mega event. All the movie buffs have a reason to be happy. A film festival featuring Kannada and movies of other foreign languages will be held from 22 to 28 September. Over 56 award winning films will be screened at DRC and INOX cinemas in Mysuru.

Helicopter rides are offered as part of the Dasara celebration. The ride was launched on 15 September 2017 by MLA MK Somashekar. The 10-minute aerial tour begins at the Lalitha Mahal helipad and covers all the iconic places across the city. 

One of the most popular events among the millennials, ‘Yuva Dasara’ took off on 22 September with a performance by singer Palak Muchhal. Bollywood playback singers Nakash Aziz and Neeti Mohan are scheduled to perform.

Concerts by ‘Coke Studio’ and ‘Red Bull Tour Bus’ will be held in Maharaja Grounds.

Kannada film star Shivarajkumar has also confirmed his performance for the Sandalwood Star Night on 28 September.

Also Read: Cauvery Row Affects Dasara: Tourist Inflow to Mysuru Drops by 75%