Dasara was celebrated by the rulers of the Vijayanagar empire and the tradition was inherited by the Wadiyars of Mysuru. Festivities were first started in Mysuru by the Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I in the year 1610
The city of palaces is all set for the spectacular procession on the occasion of ‘Vijayadashami’ on Saturday, which will also mark the grand finale of the 10-day long iconic ‘Mysuru Dasara’ celebrations atop Chamundi Hills. Celebrated as ‘Nada Habba’ (state festival), the Dasara or ‘Sharan Navaratri’ festival was a grand affair this year, depicting Karnataka’s rich culture and traditions, reminiscent of royal pomp and glory.
Thousands of people are expected to witness the ‘JambooSavari’, a march of a dozen caparisoned elephants led by ‘Abhimanyu’ carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, on a 750 kg howdah or “Ambari”. The grand procession will begin with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offering ‘pooja’ to the ‘Nandi Dhwaja’ (Nandi Flag) from the imposing Amba Vilas Palace premises, at an auspicious timing between 1.41 pm to 2.10 pm at the Balarama gate of the palace.
The procession, consisting of a number of artists’ or cultural groups and tableaux from various districts, depicting its regional culture and heritage, will be covering a distance of about five kms before culminating at Bannimantapa. Tableaux from various government departments, depicting various schemes or programmes and social messages, are also expected to be part of the procession, with people in large numbers expected to line up along the procession route, hours before it starts.
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