Mysuru: This is for the fourth time that the public
Dasara celebration is confined to the premises of
Mysuru Palace. Nevertheless, the private Dasara celebration by the
Mysuru royal family has remained uninterrupted since 1610, when
maharaja Raja Wadiyar started the tradition in
Srirangapatna.
The earlier instances when the public Dasara did not live up to its name: in 1898 due to plague, in 1977 due to an agitation, and in 2003 due to severe drought and Cauvery crisis.
There are two Dasara celebrations — the one by the Mysuru royals, which is limited to the family members, invitees and guests, and the other is for the public. “Here, procession of caparisoned elephants, cavalry, cultural troupes and carnival floats is taken out. Various events are also organised,” explained historian Echanur Kumar.
For the first time — when Kempa Nanjammani was the queen regent in 1898, the celebration was confined to the premises of the palace following an outbreak of plague. It was students’ agitation in 1977 and the drought in 2003 that paused the public Dasara. It is being restricted after a gap of 17 years, this time due to the pandemic.
Echanur added: “During Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s reign, public Dasara celebration was successfully conducted for nearly four decades. It was discontinued in 1967 due to cyclone in a neighbouring state.”
In all public Dasara celebrations, the maharajas of Mysuru rode on elephant’s back all along the procession route. Jayachamaraja Wadiyar was the last to be part of the procession that way. He announced in 1969 that he won’t sit on the elephant as the then new law had curtailed the power of monarchs.
Since 1610, as many as 13 maharajas of Mysore conducted celebrations in Srirangapatna, Mandya, and Mysuru (the venue was shifted to Mysuru in 1805). “Even during the reign of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, Dasara celebrations went on,” the historian claimed.
There were no grand public celebrations between 1799 and 1805, when the royal family was relocating to Mysuru. But it regained grandeur thereafter.
Pujas are performed only for nine days, while the procession is taken out on the 10th day. Earlier, maharajas ascended the throne and addressed the public. This practice was gradually stopped after Independence.
Maharajas used to personally examine the nitty-gritty of the preparations. In 1936, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar had observed a slight tilt in the arch built over Albert Victor Road. “He got it fixed properly by the workers before the procession commenced,” Echanur said.