The private Dasara of the Wadiyars bringing alive a slice of the royal orient came to an end at the Amba Vilas Palace on Thursday night, in what was continuation of an age-old tradition.
It came under renewed focus this year as it was the first Dasara conducted by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar after his adoption early this year by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, following the demise of her husband Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in December 2013.
The last day of the navaratri celebrations on Thursday was marked by the Khas Durbar, Ayudha Puja and other rituals followed by the Vajra Mushti Kalaga, a unique form of wrestling in which the jettys — as the wrestlers are called — fight it out with clenched fists armed with claws and whosoever draws the first blood is declared winner. The sport has gone out of vogue and is practically extinct, but is held during Vijayadashmi.
The nine-day celebration entails various rituals held under the supervision of a battery of priests. The Khas Durbar is a throw back to the past and in continuation of the practice as per which Yaduveer ascended the golden throne, received blessings and tributes from priests of various temples and family members. The durbar was the high water mark of the Dasara conducted during the regime of the maharajas and has been captured on the canvas by various artists given its grandeur.
The last part of the event was the Vijaydashmi procession with Yaduveer seated in a silver chariot drawn by an ox to the Bhuvaneshwari temple. The procession of the caparisoned elephants, horses, camels and members of the Wadiyar family , brought the curtains down on the Dasara celebrations of the Wadiyars. Dasara received an impetus during the regime of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar (1902-1940) and Mysuru has come to be associated with Dasara since then.
