JOIN US'Dasara Darshana' for villagers
He has never seen prominent place like Chamundi Hill and knew nothing about what goes on during Dasara celebrations in Mysore and other tourists spots. All these days, he was engaged in farming activities like milching cows and tilling the land. However, all this changed for him on Tuesday.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, he said, he was elated to see Chamundi Hill, its pristine beauty and blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysore. “I aspired to see Mysore and other places right from my childhood which was not possible as I am illiterate and did not know how to catch a bus. I am living in my own world grazing sheep and cows in my village. I have two sons and a daughter, who have also not visited Mysore. At last I got an opportunity to visit and it is one of the greatest moments in my life,” he said, his eyes sparkling.
Sakamma, 48, native of Neralakere in Mandya district, a widow also expressed her joy to visit the city, She had never visited Mysore to know about its heritage structures till now, as she lost her husband, a labourer, at a very young age. Likewise many who are residing in rural areas echoed similar views during their visit to Chamundi Hill organised as part of ‘Raitha Darshana’ programme. The villagers expressed thanks to the organisers of this visit for making their dream of visiting the City fruitful.
Though the inflow of tourists is very less this year due to H1N1 scare, prominent places like Mysore palace, Zoo and other tourist spots is witnessing rush due to the visit of villagers under this programme.
As part of ‘Dasara Darshana’ programme, KSRTC is operating 360 buses to bring around 25,000 people from five districts - Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajnagar, Hassan and Kodagu from September 20 to 25-in two batches, for enabling them to see important tourist places of Mysore as well as to witness the Dasara cultural programmes. Every person has to pay Rs 50 and it includes to and fro, breakfast, lunch and dinner. The revenue authorities have been entrusted the task of identifying people and those interested would be issued passes. Preference will be given for aged, women, schoolchildren and physically challenged persons.
While the people from 15 taluks of Hassan and Mandya districts were brought to Mysore from September 20 to 22, the people from 14 taluks of Mysore, Kodagu and Chamarajnagar districts would be ferried from September 23 to 25. Each day they would operate 30 buses to bring 1,650 persons. Iskcon would provide breakfast, lunch and dinner to all persons.
Schedule
On all six days, the buses would leave from the taluk headquarters between 7 am and 8 am and return on the same day at around 9 pm. The rural people would be taken to Chamundi Hill, Raitha Dasara, Mysore Zoo, Palace and also shown cultural programmes. Earlier, villagers from only six taluks of Mysore district had been shown Mysore Dasara just for three days by running five buses from each taluk. However, this year the Dasara High Power Committee has extended this programme to four other districts-Mandya, Chamarajnagar, Hassan and Kodagu districts.