Dasara cultural programmes, continuation of a royal tradition

Music and dance received great patronisation from the Wadiyars some of whom were artistes in their own right

Cultural programmes during Dasara is a continuation of the patronage extended to arts by successive rulers from the days of Vijayanagar empire.

Though it has been restricted to the palace this year due to the pandemic, cultural programmes including classical dance, folk music, western classical, light music, devotional songs, and classical dance, used to constitute the kernel of the Dasara festivities.

The description of the “great feast’’by medieval travellers Domingo Paes sometime in 1520-22 and Fernao Nuniz who witnessed the events during 1535-37 refer to singing and dancing by troupes apart from the procession, the march of the caparisoned elephants, camels and horses apart from floats. The reference to dance and music in their description is a testimony to their patronisation which continued during the regime of the Wadiyars.