JOIN USDharwad, the cultural hub of North Karnataka, celebrated Vijayadashami with traditional pomp and gaiety.
The City witnessed two jamboo savaris, which turned out to be major crowdpullers. Among the two savaris, the first was organised by the Dharwad Dasara Jamboo Savari Utsava Samiti on Friday and the second – Mula Jamboo Savari – by Sri Maruti Temple Management Trust on Saturday.
For the last 10 years, the City has been witnessing the event in a grand manner. Following a split in the managing committee, two processions are being held since the last three years.
Kodimutt Shivanand Shivayogi Rajendra Swami inaugurated the first jamboo savari at Ishwar temple in Gandhi Nagar.
The elephants carried the howdah bearing the portraits of goddesses Chamundeshwari and Bhuvaneshwari. Murugha Mutt seer Mallikarjun Swami flagged off the second Jamboo Savari at Maruti Mandir in Saraswatpur.
The colourful procession passed through the main streets, including the Rayara Mutt, Railway Station Road, Mahishi Road, Hosayellapur, Gandhi Chowk, Subhash Road, Old Bus Stand, Regal Talkies and Savadatti Road, before it culminated at the Murugha Mutt. Later on, the “Banni Mahakali” pooja was performed.
Tamed jumbos were an added attraction of the procession, while 40 performing art troupes from across the State and 25 tableaux from various districts of North Karnataka added glamour to the colourful procession. The troupes presented various forms of art depicting a slice of the rich cultural, mythological and historical treasures of the North Karnataka region.
Folk culture
Four chariots from Kolhapur, dollu kunitha, karadi mela, jhanj mela, gombe kunitha, navilu, kudure, etc, made the events all the more interesting. Apart from the jamboo savaris, the nine-day festival was celebrated with various cultural activities like dance, dramas and concerts.
The women and children’s Dasara Utsavs, organised as part of the main event at the Karnataka Vidyavardhakha Sangha, also turned out to be a great hit. A large number of women and children took part in rangoli, painting, fashion show, food festival, mono acting, drama, dance and other cultural events.