Shivamogga Dasara, the ten-day long cultural extravaganza, will be held in the city under the aegis of Shivamogga City Corporation from September 21 to 30, said Mayor Elumalai Babu.
An amount of ₹1.40 crore will be spent on Shivamogga Dasara. The State government has released ₹1 crore for the festivities while the corporation will bear the remaining expenses. Padmashree awardee folk artist Sukri Bomma Gowda will inaugurate Shivamogga Dasara at the Kote Durgaparameshwari temple in the city on September 21 at 11 a.m., he said at a press conference here on Monday.
He said that renowned playback singers including Ajay Warrier, Shamitha Malnad and Vijay Prakash will perform. The performance by Ajay Warrier will be held following the inaugural ceremony on September 21, Shamitha Malnad will perform at Nehru Stadium on September 25 while Vijay Prakash will enthrall the audience at the same venue on September 29. The running competition for physically-challenged children and the kabaddi tournament for boys and girls that will be held at Nehru Stadium on September 23 are new additions to the event, he said.
Mr. Babu said that a theatre fest will be held at B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan, an art exhibition at Shivappa Nayaka Palace and a food mela at Nehru Stadium to mark the event. The corporation has also organised awareness programmes on yoga at Kuvempu Rangamandir on September 24 and a workshop on challenges faced by the agriculture sector at the same venue on September 26, he said.
K.B. Prasanna Kumar, Shivamogga MLA, said that the grand procession of the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari will be taken out in the city on September 30 to mark the conclusion of the event. Three tamed elephants from Sakrebailu elephant camp near here will take part in the procession. The corporation has already submitted a request to the Department of Forest and Wildlife seeking elephants for the procession. Folk art troupes including Chande, Kolata, Nandikolu will perform along the procession, he said.
R. Prasanna Kumar, MLC, was present at the conference.
