Palace city of Mysuru gears up for Dasara festival
Mysuru (PTI): It is that time of a year again, when this palace city gets decked up for annual Dasara celebrations, playing host to a plethora of religious and cultural events, to keep up the tradition of Navaratri festival that began in 1610.
Celebrated as ''Nada Habba'' (state festival), the festivities is expected to be a grand affair this year depicting Karnataka's rich culture and traditions, coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and glory.
Incidentally, a controversy broke out over the government's decision to invite International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate this year's Mysuru Dasara. As the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the state's decision to invite her, decks were cleared for the schedule of events.
This year's Dasara celebration will be for eleven-days, till 'Vijayadashami' on October 2, based on the lunar calendar.
Dasara, considered one of the biggest and most important festivals of the region, grew as a festival of masses under the royal patronage of the then Mysuru dynasty. Nowadays, the festival is being celebrated under the auspices of the Government of Karnataka.
Mushtaq will be inaugurating the festivities during the auspicious 'Vrushchika Lagna' between 10.10 am and 10.40 am on September 22, by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru and its royals, amid chanting of vedic hymns, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills here.
She will be accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, several of his cabinet colleagues, senior officials among others at the inaugural.
The Supreme Court on Friday had dismissed a plea challenging the Karnataka High Court's decision upholding the state government's invitation to Mushtaq to inaugurate Dasara.
Critics argue that choosing her to inaugurate the festival, which traditionally begins with Vedic rituals and floral offerings to Goddess Chamundeshwari, disrespectful to the religious sentiments and long-standing traditions associated with the event.
BJP leaders objected to the idea, especially after an old video went viral in which she reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping the Kannada language as "Goddess Bhuvaneshwari", stating that it was exclusionary to people like her (minorities).
However, Mushtaq, on her part, has said that her statement has been distorted by making selective parts of her old speech go viral on social media.
Various programmes will be held during these auspicious days of Navaratri, during which the palace, major streets, turnarounds or circles and buildings of Mysuru will be beautified by illuminating them with lights, fondly known as "Deepalankaara".
A large number of artists, including those from troupes from across the State, will be performing in various cultural events during the Dasara this year at various platforms.
Also, dozens of events that attract people like- food mela, flower show, cultural programmes, farmers' Dasara, women's Dasara, Yuva Dasara, children's Dasara, and poetry recital are also to be conducted.
However, cultural events in front of the illuminated Ambavilasa palace will be the main attraction, as it will be the main venue for performance by acclaimed artists from both state and national level.
Other than these events, the famous Dasara procession (Jumboo Sawari), Torch Light Parade, and Mysuru Dasara Exhibition are the ones that attract a large number of people, during the festivities.
The much-awaited Dasara Air Show by the Indian Air Force will take place at the Bannimantap Grounds on September 27 and October 1.
The Navaratri include various decorations and celebrations in households across Mysuru and surrounding areas, namely Gombe habba (arrangement of traditional dolls), Saraswati Pooja, Ayudha Pooja and Durga Pooja, among others.
The royal family will celebrate the festival as per their traditions in the palace. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of erstwhile Mysuru royal family, dressed in grand attire, conducting Khasagi durbar (private durbar) by ascending the golden throne, amid chanting of vedic hymns.
World famous, 'Jamboo Savaari', a procession of caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in a Howdah covered with gold on Vijayadashmi, marks the culmination of celebrations on October 2.
Elephant named 'Abhimanyu', who has been carrying the 750 kg howdah since 2020, is likely to perform the duty this year too.
Dasara was celebrated by the rulers of the Vijayanagar empire and the tradition was inherited by the Wadiyars of Mysuru. Festivities were first started in Mysuru by the Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I in the year 1610.
It became a private affair of the royal family following the abolition of the privy purse in 1971 and the discontinuation of the privileges of the erstwhile rulers.
However, a low-key Dasara used to be held on the initiative of the local people until the state government stepped in and the then Chief Minister D Devaraja Urs revived the Dasara celebrations in 1975, which is being followed till date.
Police have made elaborate security and crowd management arrangements for smooth Dasara this year, officials said.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
