Mysore Dasara to reach global audience

State festival to be telecast across the world and will be covered by foreign news channels.

Karnataka Minister for Medical Education S A Ramadas said that the state government was holding parleys with television channels from abroad and cell phone service providers for live telecast of Mysore Dasara celebrations this year.

Speaking to reporters after taking part in the video conference with chief executive officers of the zilla panchayats regarding designing the tableaux for Mysore Dasara, Ramadas said, the government had also planned to invite the cultural troupes from 80 different countries to perform at Dasara.

The world famous Jaganmohan Palace of Mysore enters the centenary year this year and arrangements are on to make this year’s Dasara celebrations a memorable one in all respects. This year, separate seating arrangements would be made for foreign visitors where 2,000 persons can be accommodated at a time.

Besides, circuit tours would be arranged for foreign visitors to visit select houses, watch different customs, rituals and traditions relating to Dasara on all days. Foreign visitors would also have an opportunity to stay with selected families during the festivities. Besides, a one-time ticket facility would be introduced wherein the visitors buy one ticket and visit all programmes on all days of the festivities.

The Mysore Dasara website would be launched on Wednesday and Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar would inaugurate the Rural Dasara celebrations at Nanjanagud on September 19, Ramdas said.

Narayan’s House: Replying to a query, Ramadas said he had asked the authorities to submit report about R. K. Narayan’s house that is being demolished for construction purpose in Mysore.

He said late Narayan’s family members had sold the house to a builder. However, the Government was ready to buy the house and preserve it as museum if the present owners agree to sell it, he said. RDPR minister Jagadish Shettar, Mysore Deputy Commissioner P S Vastrad and others were present at the video conference.