Dasara: core remains, but emphasis changes

A look into the past 'pouranic' and historical records reveal that the present day Dasara has retained its essential core, but its emphasis has been changing in tune with the demands of the time.

The age-old 10-day celebration has moved from religious to festive, from festive to cultural, and has turned now into a mix of cultural and commercial. Today, it is more a commercial event than the tradition-bound ceremony.

Again, because of historical reasons, has been pushed back into the domains of the four corridors of the Palace confining it to be celebrated by the scion of the Mysore royal family,

Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, as laid down in the religious books, minus the people always associated with the celebrations.

The Dasara, being held from today in Mysore, has a history that goes far back into antiquity, the very word `Dasara? meaning tenth day in Sanskrit and its preceding nine days known as 'Navaratri', the nine nights of worship of Goddess Chamundeswari, also called Kali or Durga in Bengal, marking the victory of good over evil, the slaying of the monster by Goddess Chamunda, generally falling between September-October every year.

From god-king Indra in the Vedas, the Dasara is linked to the epics - Mahabharata and Ramayana. The five Pandava brothers worshipped their hidden arms after returning from their long period of incognito and Rama also made a similar offer to his arms, symbolising Ayudha Pooja, or worship of the weapons, conducted even today.

Vijaya Dasami marks the victory parade and worship of the 'Shami' tree where they had hidden their war tools, narrate the epic stories.

Moving into the historical past, one can see the Dasara celebrated in the grandest manner by the Vijayanagar kings, in particular by King Krishnadeva Raya.

By then, the celebrations had moved from mythical to historical, epic wars to religious and social. European visitors like Domingos Paes and Fernao Nuniz provide us a graphic account of the 1520 AD Dasara they witnessed.

To their testimony stands at Hampi even today the historic stone platform, 'Mahanavami Dibba', seated on which the kings were witnessing the pom-pous and majestic events of Dasara.

The grand palace, rich decorations, royal Durbar, dances, wrestling bouts, majestic procession and colourful fireworks find elaborate description in their narratives. They well fit into the present day Dasara framework.

Nuniz saw great abundance in Vijayanagar. He writes: "In these markets they sell things that in our parts are sold by professional hucksters. There were craftsmen working in their streets, so that you saw made there golden jewels and gewgaws, and you will find all kinds of rubies and diamonds and pearls, with every other kind of precious stone for sale. There were also to be seen many sellers of cloths."

Inheriting this grand feast from the Vijayanagar kings, the Mysore Maharajas continued with the tradition as laid down in the religious text, Devi Bhagavatha.

Though the pomp and richness was missing, the grandeur was no less when the celebrations were codified by Raja Wodeyar in 1609 and celebrated by successive Maharajas in Srirangapatna. But it suffered again during 1780s to be revived only in Mysore after 1800.

Retaining its original structure, the celebrations gained grandeur again to last till about 1950, when it suffered again with the abolition of the privy purse and the death of Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodeyar.

The king was no longer the pivot round which the festival moved.

Post Independence, Dasara moved into the pages of government-sponsored celebrations. Since then Dasara is being organised by the Karnataka government, while Srikanta Datta continues his religious ceremonies inside the Palace.

The Dasara today has become a cultural and commercial event, more or less shedding its religious outlook. Government allocation, sponsors' contribution, gate collections, visitors' numbers have assumed significance, the voluntary participation and rejoice of the common man taking a back seat.