Glamour of royal Dasara still survives in Mysore

For those who witnessed the Vijaya Dasami procession and Navaratri celebrations in the traditional way at the Mysore Palace by scion of Mysore royal family Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, it was a flashback to the glorious days of the Wadiyar that reflect the magnificent celebrations of Vijaya Dasami by the Vijayanagar rulers of Hampi.

Wadiyar conducted the religious ceremonies during the last 10 days in the same manner and fervour as prescribed and practiced by his ancestors from 1610 AD.

Wadiyar revived the grandiose celebrations of the Vijayanagar rulers, a description of which is available in the recordings of 16th century Portuguese chroniclers Domingos Paes, Fernao Nuniz and others.

Dasara celebrations have seen many ups and downs over the centuries, from the period of the Vijayanagar rulers to the present day. Political twists and turns have thrown their shadow over it, even resulting in total abandonment of public celebrations and confining it to four walls of the royal family and houses on some occasions. No wonder, if the present celebrations by the royal family have suffered a similar twist. But, people still admire and value it as they continue to associate with it for all its religious and regal splendour of the yore.

This was visible again when the scion of the Wadiyar dynasty went in the Vijaya Dasami procession from the palace to the Bhuvaneswari Temple located within the palace fortwalls to worship the Banni tree as part of his private celebrations yesterday. Though the length and route of the procession was limited, people had thronged to witness the spectacle that had the old regal glamour.

Unlike the state-sponsored Dasara procession, that draws huge crowds and visitors from other states and abroad, the crowd was limited, comprising mostly of locals and some foreign tourists. Unlike the Dasara procession of the state, the spectators had free access to witness Wadiyar’s procession, onwards and return. Though the security was limited, those who had assembled maintained order and discipline, and they saw the procession with sense of participation and enthusiasm. Drummers, a contingent of decorated elephants including the sacred elephant or Pattada Aane, the sacred cow, silver palanquin carrying the sacred sword, Palace honours and insignia, guards dressed in the old Mysore style sporting thick moustaches, English band unit, members of Urs’ families in durbar dresses, band unit playing classical tunes, and lastly Wadiyar seated in a decorated silver chariot drawn by oxen and a silken royal umbrella were all there, reflecting the bygone era of pomp and pageantry.

In a city that claims heritage status, Wadiyar’s procession with its present royal reflection could still be a piece to showcase to a wider audience to promote tourism and to protect values of tradition and heritage that cannot be nudged out from the minds of the people, though one may still say that such royal fanfare does not go down well in a democratic framework.