Curtains were drawn on the 409th Dasara, with impressive tableaux depicting the culture, folk art, achievements and the schemes of the Union government, during Jamboo Savari procession on Tuesday.
Celebrated as ‘Naada Habba’ (state festival), the event showcased Karnataka’s cultural heritage resplendent with folk art forms.
It showcased not only the importance of art and culture of the state, but, were also educative, highlighting female foeticide incidents, education for girls, natural disasters and monuments of various districts.
In all, 38 tableaux, from all Zilla Panchayats of the state, and 45 folk troupes from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand entertained the crowd throughout the 5 km procession, up to Bannimantap, from Mysuru Palace.
Caparisoned elephants, led by pilot (nishane) elephant Balarama, began the procession, amid a loud cheer by thousands of people gathered on the premises of Mysuru Palace. The Tabelau Sub-Committee paid tributes to Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last king of Mysuru, on his birth centenary year, with a bust of JC Wadiyar and replicas of Kama Kameshwari and Bhuvaneshwari temples on either sides.
A tableau of Chitradurga district highlighted prevention of female foeticide, educating that it is illegal.
The tableau had models of police arresting those abetted it and also a jail. Another tableau that highlighted women empowerment was Beti Bachao... Beti Padhao.. from Gadag district, showing women’s achievements in all fields.
There was a great applause from the crowd, when the tableaux from Davangere depicted the Airstrike and the tableau of Bengaluru City recreated Chandrayaan 2 of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and Balakot strike.
Government schemes
Besides, eight tableaux highlighted popular schemes of the BJP-led Union government like Swachchhata Abhiyan by Bengaluru Rural district, Fasal Bhima yojana by Bidar district, Beti Bachao..Beti padhao.. of Gadag district, Memu rail, 10-lane road of Tableau Sub-committee, Googal bridge, Prime Minister’s pension scheme and NREGA schemes of Raichur district, Fit India with slogan ‘Hum fit tho India fit’ by Shivamogga district, Ayushman Bharat of Kalaburagi district and various government benefits by Information Department.
Cultural troupes
Folk troupes from Haryana and Jharkhand performed Ghoomar and Chhau dance. A team from Maharashtra performed Dhangari gaja dance. There were teams from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh performing Singarimelam and Tappatagullu. A team from Mumbai, Maharashtra, performed Maniri Doll.
The artistes dressed in mythological characters like Rama, Sita, Ravana, Anjaneya, Goddess Durga, Mahishasura, demons, bears and tigers provided perfect entertainment to the crowd that had gathered, braving the scorching heat. Artistes dressed as characters of Ramayana, recreated the abduction of Sita.
National Anthem
A lot of confusion, cheer, shouting and enthusiasm suddenly fell silent as the howdah elephant Arjuna reached the podium, 21 cannon shots were fired and the police band played the national anthem. ‘Chamundi Matha ki Jai’ rent the air as Arjuna left the Palace premises.