Famous 'dasara jumbo savari' procession celebrated with fun and frolic in Mysore

Mysuru: Spectacular world-famous Dasara jumbo savari procession, with caparisoned elephant Arjuna carrying 750 kg golden howdah housing the idol of Goddess Chamundeswari adorned in green saree leftover 4 lakh people spellbound, in Mysuru on the tenth day of 409th Dasara festivities, on Vijayadashami day, on Tuesday.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa kick-started procession by offering pooja to “Nandi dwaja” at Balarama gate of Mysuru Palace on Tuesday at 2.08 pm at auspicious Makara lagna. Soon after that, caparisoned elephant Balarama proceeded at the forefront as Nishaane elephant indicating the beginning of the procession, with his Mahout Thimma sitting on it carrying a flag with royal insignia-“the gandu berunda”.

He was followed by Abhimanyu as Nauphat elephant with his mahout Vasantha sitting on it carrying a decorated green Umbrella. And other elephants Durgaparameswari, Dananjaya, Gopalswamy with their mahouts carrying decorated pink umbrellas marched with all majesty as Saalaanes amidst the tunes of Police band.

Elephant Vikrama who functioned as “Pattada Aane” for traditions of the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru and Gopi who assisted him in the rituals joined other pachyderms too.

Over a kilometer long procession featured 44 folk art cultural troupes with over 1200 artists performed the rhythmic dance to the tunes of rich rhythmic music reflecting the diverse cultural ethos of Karnataka and seven from other States which added all the vigour.

And they were blended with 39 colourful tableaux and historical places, regional specialties, architecture, contributions of historical personalities, feats of BJP government including surgical strike and popular BJP programmes including Beti Padao Beti Bachao and others.

At the end of the procession, it was time for the much-awaited moment and flanked by female elephants Vijaya on the right side and Cauvery on left side 59-year-old caparisoned Arjuna carried 750 kg golden howdah, for the ninth time to the cheer of electrified people.

On the arrival of Arjuna in front of Mysuru Palace Chief Minister Mr B S Yeddyurappa offered floral benediction to the idol of Goddess Chamundeswari adorned in green saree housed in golden howdah at auspicious Kumbha lagna at 4.18 pm.

Scion of the royal family of Mysuru Sri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, district minister V Somanna, DC Abhiram Shankar, mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath also joined him. Followed by that a national salute was offered, and during the national anthem, 21 round of cannon fire shots from 7 historical brass cannon barrels were fired.

Later amidst the tunes of nagaswara and police band, Arjuna proceeded from Mysuru Palace premises to Bannimantap grounds. He was guarded by ten platoons (each with 30 cops) including two KSRP, DAR, KSPSF, RPF, KPA, Home guards, two mounted companies, which was by DySP Mounted company, V Shailendra on his horse Saangini.

Adorned with Singoti on its tusks, chaamara on its ears, hanepatti on its forehead, dibba on its legs and decked with designs with colourful paints by artist Nagalingappa Chandrappa Badiger, nails coloured with golden nail paint, Arjuna carrying golden howdah walked with perfect grace, composure and all majesty undeterred by the cheer of huge crowd all through the procession route.

Arjuna and equally decked up mates (11 other pachyderms) were in total composure and all dignity too and were indeed cynosure of all eyes as they happened to be a major attraction.

Neither the Sun nor the long wait deterred over 30,000 VIPs, invitees and pass holders in front of Mysuru Palace and over 4 lakh people including over a thousand foreigners, over a lakh people from other districts and States, who lined up on either sides of 4.8km procession route from Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap ground, who witnessed the annual cultural extravaganza for more than two hours.

Cultural troupes: The procession featured by 44 folk art troupes reflecting the cultural ethos of the State, who performed (most in barefoot) rhythmic dance to the tunes of rich rhytmic music which added all the vigor.

They included Nandidwaja, Veeragaase, Kombu Kahale, Beesu Kamsaale, Pata Kunitha, Keelu Kudure, Chat mela, Hejje mela, Karagana Kunitha, Suggi Kunitha, Malenaada Suggi Kunitha, Tamate vaadana, Gaarudi Gombe, Pooja Kunitha, Kolaata, Hagalu vesha, Gondara Dakke, Gorakaana dance, Chande mela, Flower dance, Maragaalu kunitha, Donnevarase, Jaggalage Mela, Saththige kunitha, Kangilu nruthya, Tamate Nagaari, Nandikolu, Gumate kunitha, Kaavadi kunitha, Sammaala mela, Lambaani dance, Karadimajalu, Are Vaadya, Tamate vaadana, Malakina Kolu, Naasik band, Huli vesha, Gombe kunitha, Daala pata, Jaanjpathak, Goravara kunitha, Dollu kunitha, Somana Kunitha, Puravanthike. And interestingly five of them were women's troupes.

There were also seven teams from other States including Puneer Dol, Daangrigaja dance and naasik dol teams from Maharashtra, Singaarimelam team from Kerala, Ghoomar dance from Haryana, Chhau dance from Jharkhand, Thappaatagullu team from Andrapradesh.

Tabelaux: Among 39 tableaux, besides tableaux which depicted historical places, regional specialties, architecture, tradition, culture, contributions of historical personalities, 16 displayed feats of BJP governments at Centre and State attracted the audience. And those included surgical strike, mission moon, flood situation of Belagavi and relief and rehabilitation measures taken at flood-hit areas by State, achievements of Mysuru Kodagu MP including six-lane Mysuru Bengaluru Highway, flights under Udaan launched from Mysuru airport and also proposal for Monorail.

There were tableaux depicting popular programmes of BJP at Centre including Beti Padav Beti Bachav, Swachch bharaath, Aayushmaan Bharath, Fit India (depicting body builder Anil Kurchikar and badminton icon P V Sindhu), Fasal Bhima, Prime Minister Sinchaya scheme, Krishi samman, NAREGA.

And Information department of Karnataka depicted various schemes of State government, Tourism department depicted spots for adventure sports and few spots of architectural marvel including Hampi's Saasivekaalu Ganapathi and others. Also there were tableaux to create awareness including a tableau by Kodagu district on preventing landslides (and also on rehabilitation measures taken for victims of floods and landslides), Cauvery Neeravari Nigam depicted conservation of water and Chithradurga came up with tableau on prevention of female Infanticide depicting women achievers including Infosys foundation chairperson Sudhamurthy, Saalumarada Thimmakka, Vonake Obavva and others.

Tableaux to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi ji, birth centenary celebrations of Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar were also there.

There were tableaux depicting contributions of some of the famous maths of State including JSS Math in the field of education and healthcare, Aadichunchnangiri math and also tableaux on contributions of Sri Shivakumar swamy ji of Siddaganga math.

Also, there was tableau on historical personalities and their contributions including Kanakada dasa, Ambigara Chowdaiah, achievements in the field of sericulture in Chikballapur district, Dr Ha Gu Halkatti, an advocate of Vijayapur who had collected Vachanas and come up with his own printing machine to print them.

Also there were tableau on historical places and regional specialties including Madhukeswara temple of Uttarakannada district, Dodmalur Ambegaalu Krishna of Ramanagar district, Antharangange of Kolar district, architecture of Hampi of Bellary district, Gavi Siddeswara hill of Koppal district, Shishilabetta of Chikkamagaluru district, Mangaladevi temple and India’s largest petroleum unit of Dakshina Kannada district, Sri Krishna temple of Udupi, Bandipur, Bilgiri Ranga Tiger reserve and Cauvery wildlife sanctuary of Chamarajnagar district.

A tableau of Aanegaadi carrying Carnatic police band, over 150 year old brass cannon barrels were also part of the procession.

Box: As many as over 1000 foreigners including six foreign groups including those from Korea, France, Isreal, UK, two groups of foreign delegates of Infosys witnessed the procession.

- More than a lakh people from other districts and other States including Kerala, Gurajat, Uttarpradesh, Tamilnadu and Andra Pradesh and others, and more than 3 lakh people from Mysuru city and other taluks witnessed dasara.

- As many as 8407 police, three drones, and over 3900 CC Cameras monitored the security. DG Neelamani Raju and Mysuru city police commissioner K T Balakrishna led the police forces

- Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath went in the procession on her horse Toral.

- The procession began at 2.17 pm at Mysuru Palace premises culminated near Bannimantap grounds at around 6.30 pm

- All the elected representatives arrived in a Volvo bus to the palace premises.