Dr Kambara to inaugurate Mysore Dasara Festival on Oct 5

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 10: World-famous Mysore Dasara festival will be inaugurated by noted Kannada literatteur Jnanapith awardee Dr Chandrashekar Kambara on October 5.

The 10-day Mysore Dasara festivities will be held from October 5 to 14.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters that Dr Kambara would inaugurate the Dasara festivities atop Chamundi Hills.

The Chief Minister spoke to the reporters in Bangalore after chairing a high-level meeting with Ministers and MLAs.

Dr Kambara, who has authored several books in Kannada, was the Vice-Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi and had also served as an MLC.

Theatre personality and Natya Bhusan Enagi Balappa would inaugurate the cultural festivities.

This year’s Dasara festivities assume special significance in view of the fact that the Chief Minister hails from Mysore and for the first time in the last several years, Karnataka has been blessed with copious rains with all the major dams and reservoirs overflowing.

The Chief Minister said Rs 10 crore would be released to the district administration for holding the celebrations in a grand manner.

A sum of Rs 8.5 crore was released last year.

The Urban Development Department would release Rs 5 crore for Mysore City Corporation immediately to take road repair works and painting of important buildings.

Department of Tourism and Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) would jointly provide wide publicity to the Dasara.

Siddaramaiah also said the process of forming of the committees and sub-committees for the smooth conduct of Dasara celebrations would be completed soon in consultations with officials of concerned departments and elected representatives.

The festival was conducted in a low-key following widespread drought in the state last year.

The State has been receiving widespread rains this year and therefore arrangements should be made to hold the Dasara in a grand style, he said.

He also directed the officials to rope in world renowned artistes for the cultural programmes to be held at the Mysore Palace premises.

The State government has also decided to organise Yuva Dasara, which was not held from the past three years owing to drought, the Chief Minister added.