CROWNING GLORY: A resplendent view of the illuminated Mysore Palace. — Photo: M.A. Sriram

MYSORE: Brand Mysore will be unveiled in its full glory to a sea of humanity who will converge in the city to witness the spectacular Dasara celebrations starting Tuesday.

So get set to soak in the resplendent beauty of the illuminated palace and the caparisoned elephants as a hoary tradition with a touch of royalty unfolds over the next 10 days with an array of cultural programmes that promises to leave an indelible impression on the tourists.

`Naada Habba'

Depicting both continuity and change, the ancient tradition with religious significance has metamorphosed into a cultural extravaganza and emerged as a "Naada Habba" or people's festival without any dilution of its original essence.

So, along with the religious and the regal paraphernalia associated with the time-honoured tradition of Dasara, there will be adventure sports and vintage car rally, heritage ride and food mela, flower show and pet show, wrestling matches and film festival added in good measure along with the classical music concerts in front of the illuminated palace.

Turnout

Having realised the immense potential of Dasara, the Government is leaving no stone unturned to showcase and project the city of palaces as a brand and hence it is `Destination Mysore' for the domestic and international tourists whose number is expected to cross all threshold limits.

As against nearly 12 lakh people who witnessed Dasara last year, the authorities are optimistic that at least 40 lakh people will witness the 10-day celebrations, and of which more than 20 lakh people are expected to converge on the royal road on October 13 to witness the Vijayadashmi procession.

While Dasara is a national festival celebrated across the country, the pomp and pageantry associated with which it was celebrated by the Wadiyars of Mysore were responsible for lending it an international stature making the city synonymous with the festival.

Acknowledged the world over that no where is it celebrated on such a grand scale, the festival however, had its humble origins as a thanksgiving to Indra for rains, and over the centuries evolved to acquire more complex and metaphysical elements and is today associated with the celebration of the victory over evil.

In Mysore, Dasara and Vijayadashmi are also associated with the slaying of demon Mahishasura by the presiding deity of the city, goddess Chamundeshwari.

In historical times, the festival was associated with the Vijayanagar emperors who celebrated Navaratri on a grandiose scale.

This was continued by the Wadiyars of Mysore who inherited the tradition that continues till date.

Historical records prove that Raja Wadiyar ascended the throne with pomp and pageantry in 1610 AD in Srirangapatna which was then the capital of Mysore kingdom and ordained that the celebrations be held in all its grandeur.

Golden throne

The cynosure of all eyes during the next 10 days will be the golden throne, which is said to have belonged to the Pandavas and was traced by Vidyaranya, the royal preceptor of Vijayanagar emperors and was handed over to the Wadiyars in the 17th Century.

This throne is displayed only for 10 days during Dasara every year and is showcased in the exquisite Amba Vilas section of the main palace.

Showcasing the best of the traditional and the modern, Dasara 2005 is expected to promote Mysore as a one-stop destination for domestic and international tourists.

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