Mysore Dasara begins today

401st fest

Pejawar mutt seer Vishwesha Theertha will inaugurate the festival this year atop Chamundi hill at the auspicious muhurath - thula lagna between 9:08 am and 9:36 am.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, medical education and district-in-charge minister S A Ramdas, mayor Pushpalatha Chikkanna, deputy mayor M J Ravikumar are among the chief guests. Local MLA M Satyanarayana presides.

Chief priest of the temple Shashishekar Dixit told Deccan Herald that the puja is offered to the panchaloha idol of the deity, marking the beginning of navaratri.

The idol is specially brought for the purpose from the palace museum.

‘Jamboo Savari’

The idol known as ‘Sowmya murthy’ is worshipped at the temple throughout navaratri. On Vijayadashami, it is carried in the golden howdah on Balarama, during ‘Jamboo Savari.’

Minister Ramdas told media persons that owing to a change in chief minister’s tour, astan vidwan award presentation ceremony earlier scheduled for September 28  has been postponed to October 4. Police commissioner Sunil Agarwal said 50 per cent of civil forces from outstation had arrived. It includes 10 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police ( force and three India reserve batallions from the Centre.

Dasara-related activities like wrestling, exhibition, food mela and cultural programmes on the palace premises are set to unfold.

The first day of the cultural programme in front of the palace has performances of renowned sarod exponent Pandit Rajeev Taranath and Hindustani vocalist Pandit Ullas Kushalkar of Pune from 6 pm. Tourist information kiosks and illumination of the city that enhances the beauty of the city and a food mela at CADA office ground opposite main palace will also begin from Wednesday.