Mysuru Dasara: The march of a tradition Premium
The Hindu
From the inauguration of the festivities at Sri Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hills to the classical dance and music programmes in front of the illuminated palaces, Mysuru will witness a slew of cultural events and is set to be a one-stop destination for connoisseurs of fine arts as also tourists who will throng to the city in large numbers during the next 10 days.
It is that time of the year when the city of Mysuru comes alive in different hues and the air reverberates with the spirit of Dasara which will unfold to a sea of humanity showcasing the cultural diversity of State.
A tradition steeped in history, Mysuru Dasara – inaugurated on October 3 and which will conclude on October 12 this year - is also a tapestry of different traditions that characterizes Karnataka and emphasizes its unique identity.
From the inauguration of the festivities at Sri Chamundeshwari temple atop Chamundi Hills to the classical dance and music programmes in front of the illuminated palaces, Mysuru will witness a slew of cultural events and is set to be a one-stop destination for connoisseurs of fine arts as also tourists who will throng to the city in large numbers during the next 10 days.
A celebration whose origins have a hoary past, Dasara in Mysuru, is a continuation of a tradition which was started by the rulers of Vijayanagara empire (founded 1336 CE) as evident in the detailed descriptions of the ‘’great feast’’ of ‘’Bisnaga’’ (for Vijayanagara) written by medieval travellers from Persia and Portugal.
After the decline of the Vijayanagar empire post the battle of Talikota in 1565 CE, Raja Wadiyar, one of the feudatories of the Vijayanagara rulers, ascended the throne in Srirangapatana in 1610 CE and declared that Navaratri be celebrated on a grand scale.
Thus the Wadiyars of Mysuru inherited this tradition and carried forward the cultural legacy of the Vijayanagara rulers which has come to be known as the Nada Habba or State Festival in the present times.
A pan-Indian festival with metaphysical connotations of victory of good over evil, Dasara in Mysuru is equated with the vanquishing of demon Mahishasura by goddess Chamundeshwari.
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