<p>Mysuru: The Mysuru Palace has reacted to the ongoing row over the Dasara celebration inauguration, conducted by Karnataka state government for the first time over the selection of a dignitary to inaugurate the festivities near Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple atop the Chamundi Hill in Mysuru on September 22.</p><p>While Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja (YKC) Wadiyar was compelled to react in line with the party he represents, the BJP, his mother and the eldest member of the erstwhile royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has also reacted now. This came even as Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar went to the extent of claiming that Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple and the Chamundi Hill does not belong to Hindus alone.</p>.BJP will not oppose inauguration of Mysuru Dasara if Banu Mushtaq accepts culture: C T Ravi.<p>The tradition of formally inaugurating the Dasara festivities after the state government started celebrating it was launched in 1975 at the Dasara Exhibition Building by Karnataka Governor Mohan Lal Sukhadia. Later ministers, chief ministers, artists, writers, vice-presidents, and even presidents inaugurated the Dasara festivities. </p><p>This year, the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government selected International Booker Prize winner Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festivities atop the Chamundi Hill. This is now being opposed by leaders of the BJP, Hindu outfits and also a section of the society.</p><p>Earlier, YKC Wadiyar lauded Bhanu Mushtaq for her contributions and achievements but mentioned that he had noticed her past remarks on ‘Tayi Bhuvaneshwari’. </p><p>He had reiterated that Dasara is not merely a cultural event, but a Hindu Dharmic Utsava - rooted in the Shastras and Puranas and celebrated since the days of the Vijayanagara Samrajya and Mysuru Samsthana. He had sought her clarification on her reverence for ‘Tayi Bhuvaneshwari’ and ‘Tayi Chamundeshwari’ before consenting to be chief guest of the Dasara celebrations.</p>.Visit to Chamundi temple pending to fulfil vow: Banu Mushtaq.<p>YKC Wadiyar had agreed that Chamundi Hill is open to people of all faiths and beliefs, but said that it is a ‘Shakti Peetha’ and Sri Chamundeshwari Devi is a Hindu goddess. </p><p>"She is mentioned in Markandeya Purana and her puja is held as per Hindu customs. Even though Dasara is a cultural festival, it is originally a Hindu festival and its dates are fixed on the basis of the Hindu Panchanga,” he pointed out.</p><p>Referring to Shivakumar, he said, “You have made one particular family as your God. But, do not risk the misadventure of denying the Hindu religious tradition of Sri Chamundeshwari Devi and Dasara. We are not politicising the issue. But, we are duty-bound to protect the ‘Dharma’, when it is under attack for appeasement politics”.</p><p>Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has now expressed displeasure over the dragging of Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple for politics. She differentiated between the Dasara celebrations conducted by the Karnataka State government and the one conducted by her family privately.</p><p>She said, “The government’s Dasara is a cultural celebration. But, nobody can claim that Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple does not belong to Hindus alone. If it were not a Hindu temple, it would never have been brought under the Muzrai (Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments) department”.</p>
<p>Mysuru: The Mysuru Palace has reacted to the ongoing row over the Dasara celebration inauguration, conducted by Karnataka state government for the first time over the selection of a dignitary to inaugurate the festivities near Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple atop the Chamundi Hill in Mysuru on September 22.</p><p>While Mysore-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja (YKC) Wadiyar was compelled to react in line with the party he represents, the BJP, his mother and the eldest member of the erstwhile royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has also reacted now. This came even as Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar went to the extent of claiming that Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple and the Chamundi Hill does not belong to Hindus alone.</p>.BJP will not oppose inauguration of Mysuru Dasara if Banu Mushtaq accepts culture: C T Ravi.<p>The tradition of formally inaugurating the Dasara festivities after the state government started celebrating it was launched in 1975 at the Dasara Exhibition Building by Karnataka Governor Mohan Lal Sukhadia. Later ministers, chief ministers, artists, writers, vice-presidents, and even presidents inaugurated the Dasara festivities. </p><p>This year, the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government selected International Booker Prize winner Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the festivities atop the Chamundi Hill. This is now being opposed by leaders of the BJP, Hindu outfits and also a section of the society.</p><p>Earlier, YKC Wadiyar lauded Bhanu Mushtaq for her contributions and achievements but mentioned that he had noticed her past remarks on ‘Tayi Bhuvaneshwari’. </p><p>He had reiterated that Dasara is not merely a cultural event, but a Hindu Dharmic Utsava - rooted in the Shastras and Puranas and celebrated since the days of the Vijayanagara Samrajya and Mysuru Samsthana. He had sought her clarification on her reverence for ‘Tayi Bhuvaneshwari’ and ‘Tayi Chamundeshwari’ before consenting to be chief guest of the Dasara celebrations.</p>.Visit to Chamundi temple pending to fulfil vow: Banu Mushtaq.<p>YKC Wadiyar had agreed that Chamundi Hill is open to people of all faiths and beliefs, but said that it is a ‘Shakti Peetha’ and Sri Chamundeshwari Devi is a Hindu goddess. </p><p>"She is mentioned in Markandeya Purana and her puja is held as per Hindu customs. Even though Dasara is a cultural festival, it is originally a Hindu festival and its dates are fixed on the basis of the Hindu Panchanga,” he pointed out.</p><p>Referring to Shivakumar, he said, “You have made one particular family as your God. But, do not risk the misadventure of denying the Hindu religious tradition of Sri Chamundeshwari Devi and Dasara. We are not politicising the issue. But, we are duty-bound to protect the ‘Dharma’, when it is under attack for appeasement politics”.</p><p>Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has now expressed displeasure over the dragging of Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple for politics. She differentiated between the Dasara celebrations conducted by the Karnataka State government and the one conducted by her family privately.</p><p>She said, “The government’s Dasara is a cultural celebration. But, nobody can claim that Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple does not belong to Hindus alone. If it were not a Hindu temple, it would never have been brought under the Muzrai (Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments) department”.</p>