Mysuru: There is hardly any city in the country, which celebrates the ten-day Dasara festival with the same pomp, pageantry, razzmatazz, culture and history all rolled into one like the one in Mysuru.
The 407-year-old Dasara celebrations started by Raja Wadiyar in Srirangapatna, has moved from dynasty-ruled festival to Nada Habba or people’s festival. However, every year the incumbent ruling party promises that it will be held along the lines of Republic Day Parade in Delhi’s Rajpath. But, it has remained a pipe dream as one witnessed this year too, the same chaos, indiscipline, disorderliness and plain lack of respect for the animals and the artistes. If the model of R-Day Parade is followed then there should not be many people surrounding the folk troupes, floats, and the elephants. However, what we see is exactly the opposite with hundreds surrounding the paraphernalia throughout the procession route. The only place where there is an exception that is seen is when the Chief Minister showers flower petals on the elephant carrying the 750 kg golden howdah to mark the commencement of the final procession when there are just five or six people on the dais.
