International Booker Prize-winning writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurates Dasara festival in Mysuru

The famous Mysuru Dasara festival commenced in the city and palaces on Monday with religious and traditional fervour with International Booker Prizewinning writer Banu Mushtaq inaugurating the festivitiesMushtaq inaugurated the festivities during the auspicious Vrushchika Lagna by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals amid chanting of Vedic hymns by priests at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills hereCelebrated as Nada Habba state festival the 11day Dasara or Sharan Navaratri festivities are expected to be a grand affair this year showcasing Karnatakas rich culture and traditions coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and gloryIn the inaugural event Mushtaq was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah several ministers in the state cabinet among othersEarlier Mushtaq along with CM and other dignitaries visited the Chamundeshwari temple and offered prayers to the goddess referred to as the Naada Devate state deity ahead of the inauguralThe inauguration took place amid controversy with objections from some sections against the governments decision to invite Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festivalThe Supreme Court on Friday had dismissed a plea challenging the Karnataka High Courts decision upholding the state governments invitation to Mushtaq to inaugurate DasaraObjections have been raised by BJP leaders and others to the state governments decision to invite Mushtaq to inaugurate the Dasara festivities following an old video that went viral in which she has reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as Goddess Bhuvaneshwari stating that it was exclusionary to people like her minoritiesHowever Mushtaq on her part has said that her statement has been distorted by making selective parts of her old speech go viral on social mediaThe festival is likely to showcase Karnatakas cultural heritage resplendent with folk art forms as usual it attracts large crowds and tourists officials have saidVarious programmes will be held during these auspicious days of Navaratri the palace major streets turnarounds or circles and buildings of Mysuru will be beautified by illuminating them with lights a practice fondly known as DeepalankaaraDozens of events that attract people are food mela flower show cultural programmes farmers Dasara womens Dasara Yuva Dasara childrens Dasara and poetry recital among othersApart from these events the famous Dasara procession Jumboo Savaari Air Show Torch Light Parade and Mysuru Dasara Exhibition are the ones that attract a large number of peopleThe Navaratri include various decorations and celebrations in households across Mysuru and surrounding areas namely Gombe habba arrangement of traditional dolls Saraswati Pooja Ayudha Pooja and Durga Pooja among othersThe royal family will celebrate the festival as per their traditions in the palace during these days Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar the scion of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family dressed in grand attire will conduct Khasagi durbar private durbar by ascending the golden throne amid chanting of Vedic hymnsFamous Jamboo Savaari a procession of caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in a Howdah covered with gold on Vijayadashmi marks the culmination of celebrations on October 2 this yearDasara 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 1610It became a private affair of the royal family following the abolition of the privy purse in 1971 and the discontinuation of the privileges of the erstwhile rulersHowever a lowkey Dasara used to be held on the initiative of the local people until the state government stepped in and the then Chief Minister D Devaraja Urs revived the Dasara celebrations in 1975 which is being followed till datePolice have made elaborate security and crowd management arrangements for a smooth Dasara this year officials said