JOIN US'Aane Gaadi' of roses to adorn flower show
With Dasara mood set to begin from Gajapayana (journey of elephants participating in Dasara from their camps to Mysore) scheduled on September 7, preparations are on for other attractions that make ‘Naada Habba’ complete.
The District Horticulture Society that hosts famous flower show at Curzon Park every year, has this time decided to recreate floral replica of ‘Aaane Gaadi’ (a cart pulled by elephant during Jamboo Savari, the last leg of Dasara) using nearly one lakh roses.
The floral replica of places of interest in the city has been the special attraction of the flower show from the past four years.
Beginning with Nandi (bull) in 2007, the following years saw howdah and elephant, mahishasura (demon), gandabherunda (two-headed bird, royal emblem of Wadiyars), and the statue of Chamarajendra Wadiyar X in the previous year, all recreated with roses in different hues.
Former assistant director of horticulture and the incumbent director of the society Dr H Hanumaiah told Deccan Herald, it was decided to relive the legacy of musicians who were once a part of the regal procession.
When the popular musicians of yore were restricted to the durbar hall of the palace, the then maharaja of Mysore Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar decided to introduce their performance to all.
Jamboo Savari became the perfect occasion and so was ‘Aane gaadi’ consisting of musicians like Veene Subbanna, Veene Sheshanna and Veene Venkatagiri, violinist Shivarudrappa, mridanga Kittanna among other prominent musicians in the initial years.
Senior assistant director of horticulture Raju who is also the secretary of the society said, it will not be just the cart, but eight live musical instruments will be a part of it. Veena, tabla, flute, mridanga, tamboori, morching, khanjira, harmonium and saxophone have been selected after deriving inspiration from the information available at Jagan Mohan Palace.
For the benefit of visitors, a brief history of ‘Aane Gaadi’ will also be put up. Raju said the floral cart will be eight feet tall and the elephant much bigger than that. The project may cost Rs six lakh.
It will take at least 50 days for the project to take shape and will be completed before the onset of navaratri that begins from October 16.