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Mysore
Dassara
Every
October, Mysore gets ready for the Dassara Festival when the streets are
lavishly decorated and the whole city wears a festive look. The main area
of festivity during the festival is the palace, which is illuminated with
thousands of tiny, shimmering bulbs.
The 10-day-long Dassara festivities in Mysore bring back the glory and
grandeur of a bygone era. For full nine days, prayers are offered to the
deities of learning, power and wealth, the nine sacred incarnations of
Goddess Shakti. Music concerts dance programmes, sports competitions and
other cultural events are held. On Vijaydashami, the 10th day of the
festival, a colourful procession featuring caparisoned elephants winding
through the gaily-decorated streets of the city, mark the occasion.
The Dassara Exhibition is another popular event. People still follow the
tradition of 'Bombe Habba', where children display their colourful and
attractive dolls and invite friends over. Students worship Saraswathi, the
Goddess of Learning.
Ayudha Pooja
It
is a part of the Dassara celebrations. All vehicles and implements are
worshipped on this day. The nine-day celebrations culminate in the grand
Dassara procession on Vijayadashami, the day of victory. The Dassara
procession begins at the Palace with uniformed soldiers, horses,
caparisoned elephants, dancers and floats accompanied by brass hands
playing evocative Indian melodies. The Palace Guard and Mysore Lancers
march past as graceful folk-dancers twirl and swirl between the floats. A
majestic elephant adorned by golden anklets, bell and chains carries the
city's patron goddess, Chamundeshwari in a 'howdah'. This extravagant
celebration comes to an end with a torchlight parade by the State Police,
as fireworks light up the night sky.
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