The city witnessed large congregation of people on Friday and Saturday to watch the Jamboo Savari being held annually as part of Dasara celebrations.
Rain did not dampen the spirits of those present as people gathered in large numbers to watch the procession and other rituals.
On Friday, they came to watch the savari organised by the Dharwad Dasara Jamboo Savari Utsava Samiti and on Saturday they watched the procession of caparisoned elephants and cultural troupes organised by Sri Maruti Temple Management Trust’s Moola Jamboo Savari Samiti.
It has been a decade since Dharwad started witnessing Jamboo Savari and differences within the management committees has resulted in two savaris in the city since few years.
On Friday, Rajayogendra Swami of Kodi Mutt installed Bandemma Devi idol in the howdah to initiate the Dasara rituals and procession while Mallikarjun Swami of Murugha Mutt, Dharwad flagged off the second savari on Saturday.
Beginning from Gouli Galli, the savari, accompanied by around 75 cultural troupes, concluded at Murugha Mutt where the puja of ‘Banni Mahakali’ was held in the presence of Malliarjun Swami.
The procession had 25 tableaux from various districts of north Karnataka. The cultural troupes included folk artistes too, who mesmerised the onlookers with their energetic performances and there were troupes from outside Karnataka.
Meanwhile during Friday’s celebrations, chairman of Alva’s Education Society Mohan Alva was honoured with ‘Dasara Award’.