3 min readBengaluruSep 9, 2021 11:26 AM IST
First published on: Sep 9, 2021 at 11:26 AM IST
For the first time in the history of the annual 10-day-long Mysore Dasara festivities in Karnataka, the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari will be brought from Chamundi Hills to the Mysuru Palace in an elephant procession (jumbo savari).
According to Mysuru in-charge minister S T Somashekar, the Dasara executive committee reached a decision to do so to enable more people in the city to get a darshan of the deity. “The procession route will be decorated and illuminated apart from the idol being embellished,” he said. To date, the idol was brought to the palace before the elephant procession in a low-key manner.
However, the jumbo savari, usually held from Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap grounds, will be limited to the palace premises for the second consecutive year due to Covid restrictions.
The committee also decided that 55-year-old tusker Abhimanyu will lead the team of eight elephants taking part in the jumbo savari this year. “The elephants will be received with traditional honours at the Jayamarthanda Gate of the palace on September 16 to begin the countdown to the beginning of the state festival,” Somashekar added.
Further, the cultural and religious festival has been scheduled to be inaugurated atop the Chamundi Hills on October 7 between 8.15 am and 8.45 am. The committee has assured the chief minister of finding an eminent personality to inaugurate the festivities. Last year, the government had chosen five ‘Corona Warriors’ to inaugurate Dasara while renowned novelist Santeshivara Lingannaiah Bhyrappa was chosen to do the honours in 2019.
‘Final decision on public viewing of cultural events after Sept 25’
The committee has hinted that cultural events held in the premises of the Mysuru Palace will be opened up to more public if the Covid-19 situation in the state and in the district continues to improve.
“While the attendees for cultural programmes are limited at present, more people will be allowed to witness them in case active cases continue to decline. A final decision will be taken after September 25 assessing the Covid-19 situation then,” Somasekhar said after the meeting.
Earlier last week, Chief Minister Bommai had announced that all rituals including the inauguration of the festivities atop Chamundi Hills, jumbo savari, and the illumination of the city will take place this year.
The committee also decided that 55-year-old tusker Abhimanyu will lead the team of eight elephants taking part in the jumbo savari this year. (Express Photo) 
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