Navratri 2020: Dasara Festival Likely To Be Confined To Mysuru Palace

The Mysore Dasara festival is one of the biggest tourist attractions during the Navratri celebrations. The 10-day grand spectacle is organised every year in the historical city of Mysuru. This year due to Covid-19, the Dasara festival will be confined to the Mysuru Palace and the Chamundi Hills in a bid to contain the pandemic. Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday there is a "general view" that the Dasara festival should be restricted to the Mysuru Palace.

"We have discussed the safety measures that should be taken to prevent the spread of Covid infection during the Dasara festival in Mysuru. There was a general view in the meeting that Dasara should be confined to the Mysuru Palace and the Chamundi Hills," Mr Sriramulu tweeted after a meeting with the Mysuru district authorities.

A panel of experts has been formed to advise the district administration as Dasara is a ''state festival''. The action plan will be finalised after discussing with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Mr Sriramulu said.

Karnataka Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar too feels that the Dasara festival this year should be a low-key affair. After chairing a meeting with the district officers a few of days ago, Dr  Sudhakar said, his state will not make the same mistake Kerala did during Onam by easing restrictions. Kerala saw a spurt in new coronavirus cases after Onam.

Navratri 2020 Image: Maharaja of Mysuru on a decked up elephant (file photo)

Mysuru Dasara celebrations start on first day of Navratri and culminates on Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra. Every year thousands of revelers from across the world gather to witness the grand Dasara festival. The titular Maharaja of Mysuru presides over the Palace festivities during Navaratri. Decked up elephants and private military bands march before the Maharaja and gives him a gun salute.

The Mysuru Dasara festival has been organised every year for the past four centuries. It is believed that the first festival on Vijaya Dashami was organised in the 15th century by the Vijayanagara Empire rulers.