Southern States - Karnataka   

Parallel Dasara procession attracts large crowd

By Our Staff Correspondent

Cultural troupes participating in the parallel Dasara procession in Mysore on Tuesday.

MYSORE OCT. 15 . In the light of the Government's decision to restrict the Dasara procession to the courtyard of Mysore Palace, the representatives of various organisations took out a parallel procession in Mysore city on Tuesday.

Witnessed by a large crowd, the procession began from the Anjaneya Swamy Temple near the North Gate of Mysore Palace and took the route taken by the traditional procession to Bannimantap grounds. The parallel procession had three elephants and more than 50 bullock carts. The Jana Samanyara Dasara Samiti presented tableaux during the procession.

Mahadevappa, a farmer from Nugunahalli, inaugurated the procession. The BJP MLA, A. Ramdas, was present.

The MLA had earlier announced that a parallel procession would be taken out to give a glimpse of Dasara procession to those who were disappointed by the cancellation of the procession on the regular route.

More than 3,000 people who were denied entry to the palace to witness the "Jumboo Savari", had a taste of Dasara conducted by the public. The procession had tableaux on Ambedkar, Basaveshwara, and Tipu Sultan. Malla Kamba, Kalair Pattu, Veeragase, and Goravara Kunita were performed to give a glimpse of Kannada folk art to the viewers. A group of women sand bhajans till the procession reached Bannimantap after traversing three km. through Sayyaji Rao Road. Earlier, some Kannada Chaluvali activists objected to few participants carrying the saffron flag instead of the Kannada flag. Being apolitical, it should not be reduced to a political party procession, they said. Trying to console the agitators to avoid a split among the participants, the BJP leaders said though the procession was apolitical, anybody could carry the flag of their parties.

The Kannada activists, who came to the venue with the idols of Chamundeshwari, were convinced by the BJP leaders to join the procession. A large number of volunteers also accompanied the procession to avoid any untoward incident.

Addressing presspersons, the MLA, Ramdas, hoped that the procession would not be affected during the next Dasara celebrations. The Government should maintain the continuity of Dasara celebrations to boost tourism industry in Mysore, he said.

The participants performed puja to the Banni tree at Bannimantap grounds after the procession reached there in the evening. Among the three elephants brought for the procession, one belonged to Suttur Math and the other two were obtained from the Mysore Palace.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Curtains come down on lacklustre Dasara
• Parallel Dasara procession attracts large crowd
• A rare medical procedure
• Karnataka to send Mani as emissary?
• Monsoon revival destroys standing crops in DK
• Rain abates in Kodagu
• `Ban' on Tamil movies in State likely

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu