Cultural capital Mysuru set for 11 day Naada Habba

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will join writer Banu Mushtaq, along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Mysuru: Cultural capital of the State, Mysuru is all set for 11 day-Naada Habba-Mysuru Dasara festivities. Packed with 30 events at 20 venues besides grand finale, fest is all set to offer a feast to visitors.

International Booker Prize award winner Banu Mushtaq will inaugurate Dasara atop Chamundi Hill on Monday, between 10.10 am and 10.40 am at the auspicious Vrishchika lagna by lighting lamp before the idol of Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari Devi, housed in a silver mantapa, on a stage next to Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple. It will be the same idol, which will be housed in the golden howdah, carried by Dasara elephant Abhimanyu, during the grand Dasara Jamboo Savari procession, on October 2. The idol which is usually kept at Gombe Thotti of Mysuru Palace was taken to hill on September 16 for inauguration. It will be brought back from the hill to the Palace on October 2 before the procession.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will join Banu, along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Mysuru district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Ramalinga Reddy, Tourism Minister H K Patil and others. Prior to this, they will visit Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple.

The 11 day Dasara festivities will conclude with a spectacular Dasara Jamboo savari procession on Vijayadashami on October 2. CM Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the procession by offering puja to Nandi Dhwaja at the North-Balarama gate of Mysuru Palace between 1pm and 1.18 pm at auspicious Dhanur lagna. He will offer floral obeisance to Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari Devi housed in golden howdah carried by caparisoned Dasara Elephant Abhimanyu, between 4.42 pm and 5.06 pm at auspicious Kumbha lagna. Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot will participate in the Torchlight parade, which will pull curtains to this year's dasara at Bannimantapa ground at 7 pm.

Events

On Monday, after the inaugural programme at Chamundi Hill Monday an array of events will unfold.

CM Siddaramaiah will launch Dasara cultural programmes which will be held between 5 pm and 10 pm for eight days in front of Mysuru Palace and nine days at nine other venues. He will inaugurate them infront of illuminated Mysuru Palace along with minister Shivaraj Tangadagi at 5pm. They will present the Asthana Vidwan award of Department of Kannada and Culture to renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit M Venkatesh Kumar. CM along with International Woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat will inaugurate State Dasara CM cup sports meet at Chamundi Vihar stadium.

CM will even inaugurate Dasara Kusthi (Wrestling) at D Devaraj Urs Multi purpose stadium (Wrestling arena) at KEA ground. Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi will launch Book mela at Bharat scouts and guides ground; and Lalitha Kale and Karakushala Dasara at CAVA (Chamrajendra Government College of Visual Arts) campus. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao will inaugurate Yoga Dasara at Alumni's association auditorium of MMC and RI at J K ground.

Energy Minister K J George will formally kick start 21-day Dasara illumination by switching on lights of 'Hasiru Chappara' on Sayyaji rao road/Raja marga. As many as 136 km roads, 118 circles and public places are illuminated with led lights, 80 varieties of insignia at the cost of Rs 7 Crore utilising 2,57,520 units of electricity.

Besides cultural events fest will be packed with Yuva Dasara, Air show, Drone show, Poets meet, Yoga Dasara, Lalitha Kale and Karakushala Dasara, Women's Dasara, Children's Dasara, Farmers' Dasara, Pet show, Exhibition, Flower show, Food mela, Book mela, Heritage walk, Heritage cycle ride, Heritage tonga ride with traditional attires, Dasara Wrestling and Sports meet.