Mangalore in the Spell of 'Mangaluru Dasara'

by Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Oct 16: It is Dasara time and Mangalore city wears a festive look fine-tuning itself to celebrate the much awaited “Mangaluru Dasara” with all pomp and splendor. The centre of the entire festivities of Mangaluru Dasara is Kudroli Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple which has popularized dasara in this part of the coastal district after the temple was renovated in 1991.  Since then Mangaluru Dasara which has come to be touted as the equivalent to the famed Mysore Dasara, draws enthusiasts not only from Karnataka but from different parts of the country.  

One has to see to believe the majesty and glory of the 11-day Utsav that began on 8th of October, which culminates with the Mangalore Dasara Procession of Sri Sharada Matha and Navadurga idols starting on the 17th   of October and culminating on 18th  morning.  Incidentally this year marks the 20th year of Mangalore Dasara and the entire city is illuminated with colorful lights and decorations  and there is a festive feeling all around.

“While  the famed Mysore Dasara is celebrated by the State Government with its resources and machinery Mangalore Dasara is entirely a private show conducted by  Kudroli temple with donations collected from devotees and well wishers. We are not competing with Mysore Dasara.  We are showcasing the unique culture of Mangalore to many who specifically come to witness the grandeur of Mangalore Dasara, says Padmaraj, Advocate, who is the Treasures of Gokarnatheshwara temple.

The temple has installed nine avatars of goddess Durga draped in silks and adorned in ornaments amidst glittering lights and decorations. Award winning decoration artiste Mulky Suvarna’s creativity is visible and blends well with the overall effects with such finesse at the hall where the idols are placed, one gets an impression that it is the permanent wall of the temple. The entire hall twinkles like thousand stars put together to give that divine feeling and poojas are conducted all these 11 days in the temple.

Apart from Navadurges the temple also has idols of Ganapathi, Adishakthi and Devi Sharada. The night long procession on Vijayadashami day gives a grand finale to the utsav where 12 idols are taken in procession around the city to the tunes of the bands, drums, kahale and kombu.    Huli veshas, mythological characters/veshas, cultural programmes and hundreds of colorfully-lit tableaus descending from all over the district, accompany the procession for the immersion of the idols.

The procession led by Sri B Janardhana Poojary, will start from Sri Gokarnanatha Kshetra at 4.00 pm  on 17th and would traverse through Mannagudda, Ladyhill,  Lalbagh, PVS Circle, Prabhath, K S Rao Road,  Hampankatta, Clock Tower, Temple Square, New Chitra Alake and back to the temple the next morning.  It would  take the entire night to reach back the Kshetra. “The procession is a grand spectacle which provides a visual treat to the eyes and enthralls one an all without barriers of religion, language and caste. Mangaluru Dasara has added a new chapter to the cultural uniqueness of Mangalore”, says home maker Vidhya Shenoy, a keen watcher of the procession. There were cultural programmes during all these days of the festive occasion at the Kudroli temple from 6.30 to 9.30 pm.  The Gokarnatheshwara temple is known for its anna santharpane all the 363 days of the year leaving two days out.  During this Dasara festival about 10 to 12 thousand people enjoy the free meal provided for at the temple.
 
In the centuries old Mangaladevi temple from which Mangalore derived its name, Dasara attracts teeming millions from different part of the city.  Goddess Mangaladevi is offered pooja all the nine days for different avatars and Pallaki Utsav in which Goddess Mangaladevi is taken around the temple on a silver palanquin, is held on all these days.     Special poojas and cultural extravaganza marks dasara in Mangaladevi and on the day of Brahmarathotsav on Vijayadashami the temple witnesses a deluge of over a lakh devotees from different parts of the district. 

Mangalore Dasara has now become an annual fete eagerly looked forward to by the locals and outsiders who want to savor in the festive fever.  The pompousness  of the event has succeeded in attracting people from all over the  country and also from abroad. 

Indubitably the final countdown for the much awaited procession of Mangaluru Dasara has already begun and there is an aura excitement in every corner of the street and every household which is eagerly awaiting the annual fiesta of fun, frolic, exhilaration and celebration. The gala event is sure to provide the right momentum for the Mangalore Dasara spectacle.