Cauvery row's dark shadow lifts on grand finale

 Belying speculations that simmering row over sharing Cauvery river water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu may have an impact on jamboo savari the grand finale of Navaratri festivities, nearly five lakh people witnessed the gala event in the city on Wednesday.

From palace precincts to Bannimantap, the four km long jamboo savari route every nook and corner on the either side of the roads was filled with people; Statue circle, Albert Victor road and Sayyaji Rao road that was occupied with young and old alike who savoured every bit of the paraphernalia.

Moreover, what had kept the gathering on wait was Arjuna carrying the golden howdah for the first time in the recent past (although he had carried the howdah 20 years ago once), instead of Balarama who carried for consecutive 13 years.Apart from the footpaths of the procession route that were firmly occupied, the eager crowd had settled atop the hoardings, and also the balconies and terraces of skyscrapers.

The irony was, the appeal made by Mysore City Corporation (MCC) asking the owners of buildings especially that of dilapidated buildings not to give access to the structures had been blatantly violated. Barring a portion of the terrace of Devaraja Market building near Bata junction on Sayyaji Rao road, the market top had been kept devoid of people with a police constable on guard.

It was not the same in case of other buildings including those found old and dilapidated structures. The terraces of bus bays at KSRTC city bus stand too was not left unoccupied.

So also the famous Visvesvaraya building at K R Circle. Lucky were those; the officers of forest department, besides MCC, railways and APMC who continued with their privilege of dedicated seating arrangements.

For MCC, both inside and outside palace (near Town Hall) the space was provided, while for forest, the footpath of Curzon Park facing Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle. The railway officers and their families were seated after Government Ayurvedic Hospital Circle.

What set the mood was some among the performing artistes who were going near to the people and dancing to the hilt to the applause of the same.