For the first time in recent years, the Dasara schedule has been revised. It will now be held from October 13 to 22 instead of the customary October 14 to 23.
The revision was on the advice of the palace priests, who carefully studied the almanac and arrived at the new dates.
Accordingly, Naada Habba will be inaugurated atop the Chamundi Hills on October 13 at 11 a.m. and the cultural programmes will be inaugurated on the palace premises later in the evening.
The Vijayadashami procession (the famed Jamboo Savari) will be held on October 22, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will perform the Nandi puja between 1.10 p.m. and 1.25 p.m., after which the procession will commence.
Giving details about the rescheduled programmes, Minister for Revenue and district in-charge V. Srinivas Prasad said Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha, accompanied by MLAs of Mysuru district, will go to the palace on Sunday to formally invite Pramoda Devi Wadiyar — wife of the late scion of the Mysore royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar — and Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the adopted son of Pramoda Devi, who was crowned the titular head of the royal family.
The district administration will give royalty to the Wadiyars as is the tradition, though the Dasara high power committee has not yet decided on the amount.
Mr. Prasad said Rs. 30 lakh was given to the royal family last year.
