The multi-hued Dasara of Karnataka Premium

Among the places known for Dasara celebrations, other than Mysuru, it is the celebration in Kodagu that stands out. The celebrations in Madikeri and Gonikoppa involve the local public and attract many outsiders. It is said that the erstwhile rulers of Kodagu began the festival celebrations around a century ago. Now, the ruling governments sanction special grants to hold the events associated with the festival with grandeur.

Among the places known for Dasara celebrations, other than Mysuru, it is the celebration in Kodagu that stands out. The celebrations in Madikeri and Gonikoppa involve the local public and attract many outsiders. It is said that the erstwhile rulers of Kodagu began the festival celebrations around a century ago. Now, the ruling governments sanction special grants to hold the events associated with the festival with grandeur.

The special attractions of the procession on the final day are four Karagas and 10 bedecked mantaps. The procession that covers major roads in Madikeri continues throughout the night. Karagas taken out of the temples of Shakti Devatas on the first day of the festival join the procession. And 10 mantapas represent the 10 temples of the town.

By and large, the Dasara celebrations in Shivamogga are similar to the events in Mysuru. Every year, the howdah with the idol of the goddess is carried by an elephant as part of the final day procession. However, this year, the procession did not take off as planned earlier. One of the elephants chosen for the procession gave birth to a baby hours before the event, leaving the officers in shock. The officers had chosen Nethravathi, the 25-year-old female elephant, for the event without noticing that it was pregnant.

The officers and elected representatives chose to take out the howdah with the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari in a specially designed vehicle instead of an elephant.

The organizers plan events that involved every cross-section of society. Children and women have competitions to participate in. Youths enjoyed Yuva Dasara. Theatre-lovers have Ranga Dasara, which includes the staging of plays and street plays. Cine stars, popular singers, and television artists are the special attractions of the events, much like how it is in Mysuru. The celebrations come to an end with Banni Pooja and Ravana Dahana, a ritual of burning an effigy of Ravana. The city corporation is estimated to have spent around ₹1.8 crore for the celebrations this year.

What drives the crowd in Mangaluru during Dasara celebrations is the variety of cultural events organised as part of the festival. Undoubtedly, ‘tiger dance’ is the special attraction of Dasara in the coastal district.

As many as 15 teams took part in the Pili Parba, a tiger dance competition held by Kudla Samskritika Prathisthana at Nehru Maidan on October 21 this year. Each team was given 20 minutes to perform. A similar event was held at Mangaluru International Airport on the previous day. Besides the tiger dance, the event included music and dance as well. The festivities ended with a procession of idols of Sharada and Nava Durgas and a chariot festival of Mangaladevi Temple.