Mysuru, 11 Oct

The spectacular procession is underway in this city of palaces on the occasion of Vijayadashami on Saturday, which will also mark the grand finale of the 10-day-long iconic 'Mysuru Dasara' festivities and celebrations.

Celebrated as 'Nada Habba' (state festival), the Dasara or 'Sharan Navaratri' festivities were a grand affair this year, depicting Karnataka's rich culture and traditions, reminiscent of royal pomp and glory.

Thousands of people are expected to witness the 'Jamboo Savari', a march of a dozen caparisoned elephants led by 'Abhimanyu' carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, on a 750 kg howdah or "Ambari" with gold, later this evening.

The grand procession began with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah along with Deputy CM D K Shivakumar offering pooja to the 'Nandi Dhwaja' (Nandi Flag) from the imposing Amba Vilas Palace premises, at the auspicious Makara Lagna between 1.41 pm to 2.10 pm at the Balarama gate of the palace.

After offering pooja to Nandi Dhwaja, Siddaramaiah greeted the people on the occasion of Vijayadashami.

The procession consisting of a number of artists' or cultural groups and tableaux from various districts, depicting its regional culture and heritage, will be covering a distance of about five kms before culminating at Bannimantapa.

Tableaux from government departments, depicting various schemes or programmes and social messages, are also part of the procession, with people in large numbers lining up along the procession route, hours before it starts.

The chief minister and other dignitaries, including erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and Shivakumar will then flag off the procession of caparisoned elephants by showering flowers on the idol Chamundeshwari, placed in a Howdah, at an auspicious Kumbha Lagna around 4 pm.

Following the customs, 21 shots will be fired from the cannons, as elephant Abhimanyu carrying the goddess in Howdah, flanked by 'Kumki' elephants will arrive at the specially erected dais, from where the CM will offer flowers.

The Dasara procession is held on "Vijayadashami" day, signifying the victory of good over evil.

During the days of yore, the king would sit in the howdah accompanied by his brother and nephew. Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar was the last royal King of Mysuru to ride in howdah.

The tradition of the Dasara procession continues to this day but now, instead of kings, the idol of the presiding deity of the Mysuru city, Goddess Chamundeshwari, is taken in procession in the howdah. The core of the 750-kg howdah is said to be wood, but is covered with 80 kg of gold.

At the palace, keeping up with the traditions, the royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, dressed in grand attire, took out the 'Vijaya Yatra' from Amba Vilas Palace till Bhuvaneshwari Devi temple, within the premises, where he performed special pooja to 'Shami' tree on Saturday.

Ahead of this, 'Vajramushti Kalaga', a special duel between 'Jetties' (wrestlers) armed with a 'Vajramushti' or a knuckle-duster, was also part of the celebrations at the palace on Saturday, in which Jetties from various parts of the state participated.

Festivities have doubled for the erstwhile royal family as Trishika Kumari Devi, wife of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who is also Mysore-Kodagu MP, gave birth to their second child - a baby boy - at a private hospital in Mysuru on Friday. -PTI