Dasara is in full swing, and the erstwhile royal city of Mysore has turned into a beehive of cultural activities and a city of a myriad colours and lights. The heritage structures and commercial centres are lit up in the evenings.
There is any number of activities that suits all ages, locals as well as tourists. At least a dozen centres are hosting these activities daily, making all-rounders’ choice difficult.
‘Yuva Dasara’ at Maharaja’s College grounds has turned into a star attraction with the popular rhythmic hits with hip-hop dances. Those who have set the young crowds and even some elderly dancing to these tunes are popular singers like Hariharan of ‘Colonial Cousins’ fame and Vasundhara Das. folk and contemporary dances are providing a taste of ‘desi’ culture for the youth. The ‘Raitha Dasara’ for the rural folk is a display for the urbanites too, where farmers from across the district are offering a peep into their life and their farming activities. Rural men and women are seen vying for prizes in rural sports and other activities.
Women are actively associated with various competitions to exhibit their talent and skill. One attractive display of theirs was the colourful ‘rangoli’ drawing on the northern side of the palace, close to the statue circle. They drew ‘Rangolis’ in colourful and pleasing designs vying for prizes awarded by the women’s sub-committee.
After winning at the taluk level, children of all ages are busy showing off their talent in a host of programmes and competitions. Over 1,500 children had assembled at the Jaganmohan Palace on the inaugural day.
For history buffs who love to get a deeper insight into the past about Mysore and its rulers, who built their capital on most modern lines building structures in different styles to mark one event or the other, ‘Heritage Walk’ was the ideal programme.
Walking 5 kms in the city centre, they learnt about the past about these structures or their locales in the two-day spread event.
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For the first time, the Varuna Lake, which is on the city’s outskirts towards T Narasipur, has become alive with adventure water sports like skying, kayaking and banana ride offering the thrill and excitement both to the participants and onlookers. The palace continues to live to its reputation as the centre of cultural activities. The extended illumination of the palace and its surroundings, including the gardens, is drawing big crowds of those who come to see the illumination and listen to the classical renderings by veteran musicians.
As the sun sets, the city turns into a myriad of colours, with many heritage buildings and major roads tastefully lit. Mysore’s main shopping hub, the hotspot for branded outlets, turns attractive with special illumination.
New and novel programmes added to the ongoing Dasara, 2011 Dasara is showing all signs of attracting more visitors, particularly on the concluding two days including ‘Vijaya Dasami’.