Dasara goes hi-tech with e-killing of Mahishasura

Mysore's presiding deity Goddess Chamundeswari killed the buffalo-headed monster, Mahishasura, with a variety of weapons in her 10 hands. She needed all the arms to destroy the demon for not just mankind but also for Gods. Goddess Parvati took the form of Chamundi after pleadings and prayers from a number of minor Gods, who knew only a divine 'Shakti' (power) could kill another evil 'shakti' "" the destruction of evil by righteousness.

To kill the monster, they gifted all their arms to the Goddess, to destroy the evil forces in the form of demons, Chanda, Munda, Mahisha et al. Seated on a lion, Chamundi killed Mahishasura with her trident, lent by her consort Shiva.

The sword of Mahishasura was no good before the mighty trident. While Chamundi is housed in a temple atop the famous Chamundi Hills in Mysore, nearby stands the big plaster statue of the monster. Tourists who come to Mysore do not miss the two spots.

But the action is missing here. Now, a novel float is putting up a show. If Chamundi went into action armed with weapons and killed the monster in the epic tale, here the Goddess emerges as she should from nowhere and gets into action, of killing Chanda and Munda, engineered by hi-tech gadgets!

'Chanda Munda Samhara' (the destruction of Chanda, Munda demons) is an action-packed 15-minute demo with a sound and light effect, a creation of not Gods, but the artistes of Kalasagara Sangeetha Nrithya Nataka Akademi of Madikeri. For the occasion appropriately, the mechanised movements set in the Rs 5.4 lakh 40-foot-long tableau start unraveling the epic story.

As the two demons emerge from darkness with spotlights slowly brightening on them, Adi Parashakthi emerges from nowhere with a shattering noise, played in the background.

The demons' laughter reaches an ear-shattering crescendo. But it is short-lived. Taking a ferocious turn, the goddess slains the demons in the epic war, turned live, and blood gushes out from the monster's body.

District incharge minister Tanveer Sait inaugurated the action packed drama in the backdrop of the richly illuminated Palace, while a big crowd of spectators watched the tale unfolding with curiosity and admiration. The mechanically operated tableau will be among the 20 to be part of the Dasara procession on October 13.

May be it was a coincidence. The same Minister earlier pressed the button on a computer keyboard to present a similar show at the Journalists' Association premises - 'e-effigy burning'. In these days of drive against environmental pollution and rising fuel prices, demonstrators now can resort to a convenient 'environment-friendly effigy burning'.

Press the keyboard button, an effigy appears on the screen and slowly fire burns it down. Soon after a figure of monster Mahishasura appears and he too is reduced to ashes on the screen!

The novel computerized show of protest was demonstrated by Journalist Vijendra Rao. Hailing the novel way to protest, the Minister suggested an additional feature, facility to forward an online memorandum as well by the effigy burning protesters.