Is Mysuru Dasara a 'Naada Habba'?
South India has been opposing the imposition of cultural and political imageries by north India in various ways. Two years ago, the central government had to face people’s wrath for making ‘Onam’ of Kerala into ‘Vamana Jayanthi’. Dravida thoughts are resurfacing in Tamil Nadu. ‘Mahisha Dasara’ was celebrated with pomp and gaiety in Karnataka as against the usually accepted format of Dasara. Mahisha Dasara made an excellent effort to put forth the true narrative of the Dasara, with people from Dalit, shudra and minority communities along with rational thinkers and intellectuals joining the celebrations.
Mysore or Mysuru is name that is based on the identity of ‘Mahishasura’. And this name is being misconstrued in an attempt to provide the legend of this very land. Mahishasura was a king from tribal community who was loved the most by his subjects. Mahisuru or Mahisha Mandala has mentions in history and religious texts as well. Buddhist literature has references to this. A scripture from king Ashoka’s time has the name of Mahisha Mandala. As a prominent member of this community, Mahisha was a known as a great lover of animals, especially the buffalos. Dravida identity should never ever forget him. Buddhists have had great links with Mahisha Mandala and there are references to prove this claim. Today, we are in an inevitable situation where we have to revisit our understanding of history through Mahisha’s memories. It is inevitable that Mahisha be deconstructed for the sake of new generation. In this regard, Kannadigas should insist that the government should celebrate Mahisha Dasara through its authorities.
Mahisha upholds the values of grassroots culture of this land, while the brahminical and feudal reminisces of this celebration is being showcased as the real celebration. Even the state government endorses this as undeclared ‘state festival’ or ‘Naada Habba’. How should a Naada Habba be? It should bring all the Kannadigas together. It should not glorify any single caste/religion or identity but embody the spirit of the festival together to hold up the Kannadiga identity. It should be a beautiful coming together of rationality, intellect, scientific temperament, co-eixtence and folk.
Basavanna, Santa Shishunala Shareefa, Kanaka Dasa, Sufi saints and Kuvempu among the other big names should be made the pride of Dasara celebration. But what is happening now? Brahminical pride and remnants of the monarch rule are being held up celebrations of Naada Habba using government money and people’s resources. The royals of Mysuru are being held high in praise while violence takes the centre stage in Dasara. Jambu Savari is a big epitome of slavery and subjugation. Why is the government spending crores of rupees on this wasted celebration when this has nothing to do with showcasing the Kannada pride?
Many prominent thinkers and leaders had objected to Jamboo Savari parade in the past owing to reasons such as it embodied the slavery to the royal family. Since we entered a democratic set up, one need not be subjugated to the royal family which lost its glory in 1947 when the country became independent and turned a republic. Only the royals and priestly class need this glory back. Jamboo Savari is no metaphor to Kannadiga pride. How is it appropriate to engage elephants to carry a golden howdah when lakhs of people are present on the long stretch of roads where they walk? This is a clear violation of wildlife protection act.
If Dasara is to be a Naada Habba in true sense, it is important to make many changes in this. Kannada identity should gain most prominent position and not the priestly celebrations. Kannada culture and language should be held in high regard. Violence has to be eradicated from this. Jamboo Savari has to stop completely. Mysuru Dasara has to remember Mahisha Mandala and the contribution of this king to make this land the way it is. Dasara turns meaningful with that. Government should celebrate Mahisha Dasara to showcase the culture and rationality of this land. On the other hand, November 1, the Kannada Rajyotsava day is the true Naada Habba for us. The elements that make Dasara the Naada Habba want us to go back into the control of priestly class and royalty, ignoring the democracy at our own peril. When Kodagu is reeling under the aftereffects of floods and rains, government should consider reducing the pomp of Dasara and helping people of Kodagu stand on their feet.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
