' Grameena Dasara' starts from temple town

The Government Boys PU College grounds came alive what with the legion of dignitaries showering flower petals on the idol of deity goddess Chamundeshwari mounted on caparisoned temple elephant Gowri, amid ‘mangalavadya’, thus kick-starting the event. With this, ‘Grameena Dasara’ made a start in all seven taluks in the district, with the intention of wooing villagers to be a part of the bigger event.

Mobile stairs
A mobile stairs was stationed to facilitate VIPs — including medical education and district in-charge minister S A Ramdas, MLA V Sreenivas Prasad, ZP president Suneetha Veerappa Gowda, CEO G Satyavati among others — to offer flower petals to the deity.
Earlier, as is the tradition during ‘Jamboo Savari’ too, puja was offered to ‘nandi dhwaja’. A tractor carrying the flower bedecked mask of lord Nanjundeshwara followed the jumbo, besides tableau of veterinary and animal husbandry department — creating awareness on animal sacrifice. Pairs of hen, besides goat was also on display giving a touch of reality. As child marriages (though foiled later) have become rampant, department of woman and child development couldn’t have thought of any better time to spread awareness. The tableau of the department depicted a scene of the social malaise with students playing the main role. Pamphlets carrying the message on child rights and who can be termed as accused in case of child marriage were also distributed.
The office of deputy director of public instructions highlighted ‘Nali Kali’ an ambitious programme of the education department, with a revisit of mythological characters like Onake Obavva and Kittur Rani Chennamma and ‘Father of the nation’ Mahatma Gandhi.
Kusti — a traditional form of wrestling — that once enjoyed royal patronage was also among the attractions, with two ‘pailwans’ fighting it out, forming the tableau of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.

Cultural troupes like  nadedaduva bombe (walking doll), stilt walking, beesu kamsale, veeragase among several others accompanied the procession that culminated at the temple. Addressing a huge gathering, rural development and panchayat raj minister Jagadish Shettar said the tradition and culture of the land can be only seen in villages. Citing the example of cultural troupes, the minister said they again highlighted the rural tradition, as it’s the only place where art has nestled.

Multi-million scheme
For Nanjangud taluk alone, the minister said that 120 villages will be connected under multi-million scheme, a water project, that has been planned across the state to address water related woes in urban parts. That apart, 50 km of road (20 km in first phase) in every assembly constituency, will be developed under CM’s fund.

The minister said that 300 villages will be developed under Suvarna Kranthi Yojane. The CM has been apprised to bring more number of villages under the scheme.

Plough and other equipment used by farmers in cultivating land, formed the attraction in front of the dais.