Pomp and splendour mark beginning of Dussehra festivities in Mysore

Mysore, Sept 20 (ANI): The ten-day long Dussehra festivities began on a traditional note atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysore.

The festival that celebrates good winning over evil began on Saturday with the scion of Mysore, Srikanta Datta Narasimha Raja Wodeyar, holding his court in a throwback to yesteryears.

He offered rituals to appease Goddess Chamundeshwari and then held his court, sitting on the golden throne, weighing 220 kg and studded with precious stones.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar inaugurated the nine-day celebrations along with Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa.

Throughout the nine days, the offspring of the royal dynasty will hold the court and on the final day, a grand procession will mark the culmination of the festival.

Dussehra is also interpreted as "Dasa-Hara", which means the cutting of the ten heads of demon-king Ravana. On this day, people resolve to cut ten heads-passion, pride, anger, greed, infatuation, lust, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and crookedness.

Episodes from the Ramayana are staged all nine nights during the festival, which culminates on the tenth day with the triumph of Lord Ram over Ravana. (ANI)