Mysore Dasara: Ex-parliamentarian turns peacemaker, seeks a truce

Mysore: While it has been decided to change the venue of the traditional  welcome accorded to the Dasara elephants this year  in view of the demise of the scion of the royal family in December last, former Mysore MP, A H Vishwanath on Wednesday appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the district in- charge minister to hold a meeting with Maharani Pramoda Devi and convince her to allow the ceremony to be performed at the Mysore palace as always.

Speaking to reporters here , Mr Vishwanath said while everyone in the state had high regard for the royal family and mourned the death of the late Maharaja, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar,  time honoured traditions could not be done away with.

“The traditional welcome should be given to the Dasara elephants in front of Mysore palace as always and there must be no change in the venue of the cultural programmes conducted before the palace during Dasara either,”  he insisted.

It was in 2002, when Mr S. M. Krishna was Chief Minister, and Mr  Vishwanath, the district in- charge minister that the tradition of Gajapayana or the march of the Dasara elephants to Mysore and the traditional welcome accorded to them was started.

“Elephants and mahouts  are pivotal to the  Dasara celebrations and their welcoming with all honours is very significant. Also, as elephants symbolize Vignavinashaka Ganapathi, offering special poojas and giving them a traditional welcome with special food and cloth, is a good note to begin on. That is why we began the practice. It has to be held in front of Mysore palace,” Mr Vishwanath told the Deccan Chronicle.