Carnival de Mysore

From music concerts, dance recitals, and doll displays to flower shows, exhibitions, air shows, wrestling matches, and jumbo circuses, Mysore vibrates with exuberance and beauty.

Another Dasara over, Mysore feels like a wedding hall after the ceremony, a thin layer of emptiness engulfing the city and the hearts. Come September-October, every year, the city is decked up for Dasara festivities. From music concerts, dance recitals, and doll displays to flower shows, exhibitions, air shows, wrestling matches, and jumbo circuses, it vibrates with exuberance and beauty. The entire city decorated, illuminated, and transformed is nothing less than Amaravati, heaven on earth: lights, music, food, and colours bringing in joyous moments and merriment.

This year was no different. It’s become almost a ritual for us to go around the city during Navarathri to watch the lights at night, which was unheard of during my childhood days. Only a few important places were illuminated those days, especially the welcome sign on Chamundi Hills, which was a spectacular sight that we all waited for and loved to see. And welcome in one language wasn’t enough. We had to have both ‘Welcome’ in English and Susswagata in Kannada flashing over the hills. It was a formal announcement of Dasara and holidays for me.

My father usually avoided huge crowds. Yet he hauled us to witness jumboo savari somewhere near Mysore Medical College. He lifted me on his shoulders while Drona walked majestically, carrying the golden howdah, flanked by kumki elephants. It used to be a bona fide adventure, with my neck balancing over his shoulders just to get a peek at the jumboo savari. Drona was considered one of the best for his ability to learn and correct himself. He was adored for his size, strength, intelligence, and gentle nature. Somewhere, I’d read that his mahout refused to participate in the Dasara festivities after he died of electrocution in Nagarahole National Park. Perhaps watching his grand, calm, and regal walk, I developed this lifelong fascination for elephants.

The grace that they display amidst the massive crowd, heat, and humidity is unmatched. This year, it was said Abhimanyu, the ambari carrying elephant, too faced a challenge as the golden howdah tilted to his left side. And it happened several times. It was mounted hurriedly on his back. Yet he self-adjusted, following the instructions from his mother, and managed impeccably. Such brilliance and grace!

Elephants marching on the streets of Mysore, a common sight during Navarathri, is a special treat to Mysoreans. How lucky we are to be part of this age-old tradition! Every house celebrates the occasion with the same fervour as the royal family themselves. Even when abroad, I missed Namma Mysooru immensely during Navarathri, striving not to forget the fragrance of mallige and Mysore Pak, clinging onto all the memories and memorabilia.

My only concern is that overcrowding makes the event tedious. We’re not able to go witness the grand procession on Vijayadashami these days. If only everyone could to attend the ceremony without being elbowed, pushed, or yelled at.