The golden dussehra of Mysore
Monday, October 8, 2018 IST
The triumph of good over evil is what is celebrated at the festival of Dussehra (Dasara), which is also known as Vijayadashami. Dussehra marks the end of “Navaratri” (nine-night) festival which is widely celebrated in the Indian subcontinent.
During the same time, the Eastern and North-Eastern states of India celebrate Durga Puja, dedicated to Goddess Durga. According to mythology, the goddess slayed the demon Mahishasura, and the day of her victory is celebrated as Vijayadashami. While the day of Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana who had abducted his wife Sita is the Dussehra festival in the Northern, Western and Southern India. The nine-night festival of Navaratri is dedicated to the Goddess Durga or Goddess Saraswati which ends on the eve of Dussehra.
Dussehra is one of the most auspicious and sacred festivals and involves grand celebrations across India. However, Dussehra celebration in Mysore, city of the state ofKarnataka are regarded as the most magnificent of all, attracting spectators from the length and breadth of the country. In fact, the state of Karnataka has accorded Dussehra as its “Nadahabba” (the state-festival). This regal town’s Dussehra commemorates the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari (a form of the Goddess Durga) over the demon Mahishasura.
The lavish procession, known as Jumboo Savari, commences from the famous Mysore Palace and concludes at Bannimantap where the devotees worship the banni tree (Prosopis Spicigera). The procession is dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari; her idol is carried in a huge golden howdah which weighs around 750 kgs and is carried by an exquisitely adorned elephant. Similar to the other festival processions of South India, the decorated elephants are an important part of the Jumboo Savaari. The elephants are adorned with colourful patterns and ornamented with golden caparisons. The procession culminates with Panjina Kavayatthu, a torch-light parade in the Bannimantap ground.
The Mysore Palace has its own special celebrations for the Dussehra festival. For the whole of Navaratri and Dussehra the palace is bathed in the glow of close to 100,000 light bulbs, and members of the public are able to come to see the Chinnada Simhasana (also known as Ratna Simahasana - the ‘Golden Throne’ in Kannada language), the throne belonging to the Wodeyar (the royal family of Mysore), which is only put on display for this festival. The Dussehra festival of Mysore exhibits the majestic and traditional side of India at its best, which makes this grand and auspicious event a “must-visit” festival.
Related Topics
Trending News & Articles
ALMATY: Hour upon hour, day upon day, Omir Bekali and other detainees in far western China's new indoctrination camps had to disavow the...
Recently posted . 219K views . 1 min read
If you have payed attention to the belly buttons of people on the beach or the members of your family, you have probably noticed that they have different shapes and...
Recently posted . 10K views . 2 min read
The Langya henipavirus has a place with a similar group of infections, including Nipah, which is known to kill up to 3/4 of people in extreme cases.
Recently posted . 6K views . 1 min read
Queen's death: The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 was the oldest heir apparent in British history, became king immediately...
Recently posted . 5K views . 1 min read
More in National
The bomb shelter advice included stated, "The food supply for doomsday includes many items but the main idea behind packing an emergency stock is less sweets, ...
Recently posted. 770 views . 1 min read
Instagram today announced an update that allows users to share Feed posts to Stories, finally allowing crossover between its two primary picture galleries.
Recently posted. 761 views . 1 min read
Being cheated upon is a gruesome experience, as most of the times cheating is not a mistake but a deliberately chosen option. As men, you don’t want your gi...
Recently posted. 940 views . 1 min read
Recently posted . 291 views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 2K views
Recently posted . 1K views
Recently posted . 1K views . 49 min read
Recently posted . 3K views . 140 min read
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned against succumbing to “crude” nationalism in the aftermath of populist shocks in the Brexit referendum and t...
Recently posted. 831 views . 3 min read
From internal deep linking to keeping a short, crisp title tag, these tips will help you go a long way in getting more traffic and higher rankings.
Recently posted. 886 views . 1 min read