JOIN USThousands flout Covid rules as they converge for Jamboo Savari
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched a scaled-down version of Jamboo Savari, the grand finale of a simple Mysuru Dasara, in the Mysuru Palace premises, on Friday.
The Jamboo Savari was limited to the Palace precincts last year as well, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Covid shadow was not as tall this year, compared to 2020, when the infection was still at its peak. Around 10,000 people were on the Palace premises to witness the Jamboo Savari even as the District Administration had claimed that not more than 500 persons, including the CM, will be allowed in the premises.
In 1994 and 2002, too, the Jamboo Savari was held within the Palace premises, due to a plague in Gujarat and the kidnapping of MLA Nagappa by forest brigand Veerappan, respectively.
Simple, virtual Dasara
In the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, Dasara celebrations were scaled-down, changing the event into a virtual format. However, besides thousands of people inside the Palace, thousands of people thronged around the Palace, especially at Chamarajendra Circle, despite restrictions by the Police on the movement of people and vehicles in the vicinity.
Bommai performed puja to Nandi Dwaja, near Balarama Gate of the Palace at 4.32 pm, during Meena lagna. He performed ‘pushparchane’ to the idol of Chamundeshwari Devi, placed in the golden howdah, carried by elephant Abhimanyu at 5.24 pm, during the same Meena lagna. A 21-gun salute was fired by cannons of the City Armed Reserve personnel.
CM’s prayer
Bommai said he prayed with devotion for the welfare of the State and its people. “I prayed for timely rains and good crops, for the prosperity of farmers. I prayed for the welfare of all Kannadigas. I prayed for the overall development of Karnataka and prosperity of the people,” he said.
The procession form was limited to 25 folk art troupes, two companies of Mounted Police, and six tableaux, with howdah elephant Abhimanyu, Nishane elephant Dhananjaya, Nowfath elephant Gopalaswamy, Saalane Ashwathama (debutant) and kumkis Kaveri and Chaitra. Unlike the usual annual 5 km procession route from the Palace up to Bannimantap, the procession was limited to 600 metres within the Palace precincts.
Tableaux
Last year, while both tableaux revolved around Covid-19, only one tableau this year was related to pandemic. The remaining were on: 75 years of Independence; group housing in Mysuru; importance of conserving nature; agriculture schemes of both Centre and State governments; and the Aane Gaadi (elephant cart) of Mysuru Palace that used to transport the Police Band during the Jamboo Savari. The Aane Gaadi was a part of last year's procession as well. Nadaswara, Veeragase, chili pili gombe, chande, kamsale and Yakshagana troupes also moved along.
Last year, the procession was limited to four folk art troupes, two companies of Mounted Police, and two tableaux, with howdah elephant Abhimanyu, Nishane elephant Vikrama, Nowfath elephant Gopi and kumkis Vijaya and Kaveri.
Abhimanyu, 55 years, a Dasara veteran, who has participated 22 times, carried the howdah for the second time. A trouble-shooter, along with earlier howdah elephant Arjuna, of the Forest department, Abhimanyu had participated in many rescue operations of straying animals.
The celebrations were inaugurated on October 7, atop the Chamundi Hill by former chief minister S M Krishna. This year, Mysuru Dasara celebrations were limited cultural events at Nanjangud Srikanteshwara temple, from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm from October 7 to 13; cultural events at Mysuru Palace from 6 pm to 9.30 pm from October 7 to 13; cultural programmes from 10 am to 5 pm at Mysuru Palace on October 10; cultural programmes from 10 am to 6 pm on October 11 and 12; and 100-km stretch illumination, which is extend for an additional nine days. Last year, cultural programmes were held from October 17 to 24 only, on the stage abutting the Mysuru Palace.
This year, a new addition is the puja by Cooperation Minister S T Somashekar to the procession deity of Chamundeshwari atop the Chamundi Hill, before it was taken out in a procession, via Tavarekatte, Ittigegud, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle and Jayamarthanda Gate, up to the Mysuru Palace, to be placed in the golden howdah.
Member of the erstwhile royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Cooperation Minister S T Somasekhar, Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, Deputy Commissioner Dr Bagadi Gautham and Police Commissioner Chandragupta were present.
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