JOIN USS'patna Dasara kicks off today
Jnanapith awardee Dr Chandrashekara Kambar would inaugurate the Navarathri festivities flagging off a grand Jumbo Savari at Kirangur Bannimantap. The dasara elephants which take part in the Vijayadashami procession in Mysore have arrived in the town on Thursday to take part in the colourful procession. The guests would offer a traditional pooja to godess Chamundeshwari’s idol seated on wooden howdah to start the procession, MLA Ramesh Bandisiddegowda told reporters.
Dasara elephant Abhimanyu would carry the howdah, while elephants Vikrama, Harsha, Kanthi and Revathi would be part of the jumbo parade. The jumbos were given a traditional reception on Thursday.
The procession would cover about 3 kilometres from Bannimantap to Sriranganatha temple, he added.
A band of colourful tableau, folk and cultural troupes, mounted police from Mysore and NCC cadets would participate in the procession.
District in-charge minister R Ashoka would inaugurate the cultural programme at Sriranga Vedike in front of the temple at 7 pm. A handicraft expo, book exhibition, wildife photography exhibition and contest are also organised.
Peeved over the negligence of authorities over maintaining cleanliness ahead of Srirangapanta Dasara, the students of government first grade college took an initiative to clear the fort wall of handbills and posters here on the eve of the Naada Habba festivities.
Students’ gesture
More than 30 students of the college cleaned the fort area and cleared the east wall of the fort from posters. They also removed many flex boards that were installed around the fort. The students group called themselves Heritage forum and carried out the the cleaning work. The weeds grown around the fort was also removed. College principal Prof Basavaraju, Dr Rangaswamy and others were also present.