{"id":1945,"date":"2020-09-25T12:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T06:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.savaari.com\/blog\/?p=1945"},"modified":"2024-09-23T11:47:22","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T06:17:22","slug":"how-i-celebrated-dussehra-in-mysore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.savaari.com\/blog\/how-i-celebrated-dussehra-in-mysore\/","title":{"rendered":"How I Celebrated Dussehra in Mysore"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A couple of years ago, I visited Mysore for work and it happened to be around the time of Navratri. I was all set to leave a day before the festival began looking forward to revel in Durga Puja celebrations in my city, when something unexpected happened at work and I had to extended my stay by a few days. Disappointed, I prepared myself to get through the holiday period, in an unknown city all by myself. Little did I know then, that an accidental stay-over would end up becoming a memorable trip!<\/p>\n

Mysore Dasara<\/strong>\"\"<\/a><\/h1>\n

Dasara, as the locals say, is the most important festival celebrated in Mysore. The time when the rest of the country celebrates the various manifestations of\u00a0 Navratri, the festival in this town is marked by a 10-day extravaganza culminating in Vijayadashmi or Dasara. In 2022, Dasara will be celebrated on 26 September <\/span>and ends on\u00a0<\/span>5th October.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Having no friends or company in the city, I decided to make the most of my stay and experience the festival first hand. The celebrations start from the first day of Navratri and go on for 9 days, transforming this otherwise serene city into a luminous and dazzling spectacle, with every corner illuminated with bright lights and festive decorations. Check out my guide to experience the extravagant Mysore Dasara<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the spirit of being adventurous, I stepped out and decided to explore the city like a local.<\/p>\n

The Regal History of Mysore Dasara<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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Dussehra in Mysore started as a cultural celebration about 600 years ago, initiated by the Vijaynagara emperors. They celebrated the victory of the warrior goddess Chamundeshwari (an avatar of Durga) over the demon Mahishasur, by hosting military parades, athletic competitions, performing arts, and charity events.<\/p>\n

Later after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire, the celebrations came to an end under the rule of Delhi Sultanate. The Wadiyar Kings revived the celebrations once again in the 16th century as a way of celebrating their freedom.<\/p>\n

A celebration ‘au royale\u2019<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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A grand Dasara tradition started by the Wadiyar kings exists till date – a Royal Durbar (or the Dasara Durbar) is set up at the Mysore Palace, where the current symbolic king of the state holds court during the festival. He dresses up in his royal garb and takes the throne accompanied by a ceremony. This is then followed by music performances at the court. Now, since these events are only for the royals, elites and special invitees, I, as a commoner, had to be content with narratives from friends describing the royal opulence of the inner palace.<\/p>\n