Rains dampen Dasara spirit

The Rs 1.5 crore Dasara concluded on Thursday with a crowd smaller than that seen in the previous years watching the finale, the Vijaya Dasami procession. Meanwhile, rains continued to fall in Mysore.

Colourful umbrellas and caps added colour to the already colourful Dasara procession, as it wound towards Banni Mantap from the palace. Heavy rain in the early morning and overcast sky had made the cautious crowd to be prepared for a downpour, as the sky was overcast throughout the day.

It was only a light drizzle when chief minister Dharam Singh worshipped the Nandi Dhwaja, in the lead of the hour-long procession and later showered petals on Goddess Chamundeswari inside the 750-kg golden howdah atop Balarama, the elephant, in the foreground of the palace. Flanking Balarama were two female elephants, Kokila and Kanti.

As the chief minister showered petals on Mysore's home deity, 21 guns boomed to herald the inauguration.

Following the Nandi Dhwaja flag staff were over 30 folk dance troupes and in between were 20 tableaux from government departments and different districts, highlighting the uniqueness of their area.

The Tibetan settlers of Bylakuppe in Periyapatna taluk also participated exhibiting traditional dragon dances.

Among the prominent tableaux were of the 'Food Science from Home to Home' by the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 'From Stone to Computer' of the Department of Public Library, 'Market-IT Market Information' by the Karnataka Agricultural Marketing Federation and 'Water Conservation' by the Department of Information.

The dozen elephants decorated with paintings on their trunks and legs and overflowing colourful cloth on their back, palace items like the gun carriages, Naupat and Nishan elephants, elephant carriage with a police band unit playing Karnatak music, golden palanquin, silver chariot, camels, mounted guards and palace honours and durbar dress attendants were a reminder of the old Dasara of the Maharajas' period.

Both at the palace premises and on the procession route the turnout of spectators was lesser than that compared to previous years. In the shamianas specially put up in the Palace premises, chairs were seen vacant.

Even at the Chamaraja Statue Circle and the K R Circle, the chief spectator spots, the crowd was less than 3-4 thick lines.

As the sky remained overcast, the finale was the torchlight parade in the evening at Banni Mantap grounds, after the procession reached there around 6 pm.