Mysuru all decked-up for 10-day Dasara

The event will showcase the cultural diversity of Karnataka

Let the celebrations begin: The illuminated Mysuru Palace will be the venue for many cultural programmes.

Mysuru is all set for the 10-day Dasara that will showcase the cultural diversity of the State from Sunday. Though rooted in mythology, the famed Mysuru Dasara is also a fulcrum to promote tourism, projecting a blend of the classical and the modern.

The festival will be inaugurated by Kannada writer and Saraswati Samman awardee S.L. Bhyrappa at 9.38 a.m. atop the Chamundi Hills.

Cultural programmes will be spread over eight spots but the Amba Vilas Palace will hold the centre stage in the evening where renowned artistes will regale tourists.

Considered the largest open-air concert in the country, it is held in the backdrop of the palace which will be illuminated by nearly 1,00,000 bulbs.

There are also a slew of events lined up at various venues across the city, catering to diverse tastes. The curtains will come down on October 8 with the Jamboo Savari (procession) followed by a torchlight parade.

While Dasara is a pan-India festival, the celebrations in Mysuru differ due to their historical roots. It is an inheritance of the practices followed by the rulers of Vijayanagara (1336 A.D. to 1646 A.D.) and documented by medieval travellers such as Abdur Razak and Domingo Paes. After the collapse of the empire, the tradition was followed by the Wadiyars and received a major impetus in 1610 A.D, when Raja Wadiyar reigned in Srirangapatana.

What is unique is the celebrations by the members of the Wadiyar family, who will follow centuries-old traditions such as the durbar and the royal procession, presenting a picture-perfect vision of the royal orient.