10-day Dasara festivities culminate with 'jumboo savari'

Mysore, Oct 21 (UNI) The ten-day Mysore Dasara festivities known for its grandeur and pomp across the world culminated with an impressive 'jamboo savari' today.

For the first time in recent years, Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur flagged off the two-km long procession by performing a pooja to the traditional Nandi Dhawaja in front of Mysore palace and offered jasmine flowers to Goddess Chamundeswari, the presiding deity of this heritage city.

The Goddess was placed on tusker Balarama in front of Mysore palace and it was flanked by its mates Sarala and Kanthi and a dozen of pachyderms, that took part in the procession.

In all 89 units formed the procession that included more than 40 troupes of folk dancers, cultural artistes, musicians, a number of platoons belonging to police force, various bands and 23 tableaux, led by Nadaswara aristes.

The procession was followed by famous folk dancers, who entertained the huge crowd on either sides of the roads.

The tradition of the grand finale to Dasara festivities originated during the Vijayanagar empire and later passed on to Wadiyars of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom. The golden period of Dasara celebrations began with the arrival of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, who worked for the development of the Mysore region.

The State Government later made the celebrations as 'Nada Habba' (State festival).

The Director General of Police K R Srinivasan flagged off 45 vintage and classic cars, besides six motorcycles in front of the palace before the start of the procession.

The tableaux that took part in the procession depicted various aspects of the State's culture, heritage and achievements of the Government.

Tourists from US, Korea, China and foreign nationals, besides legislators from Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh also attended the procession.

The district administration and police authorities who made elaborate security arrangements during the festivities, also made available LCD and multimedia screens across the city.

The procession concluded at Bannimantap, where the final prayers were offered by the erstwhile kings by performing the pooja to Banni tree.

Governor Thakur would also receive the salute at the torch light parade in Bannimantap, bringing the curtains down to the ten-day festivities and be followed by spectacular fireworks.

Earlier, scion of Mysore royal family Srikantadatta Narasimaraja Wadiyar, who had also performed the ten-day traditional pooja inside the palace, shared the dias with the Governor.

UNI