Mysore Dasara: National Artistes to perform in the grand celebration

Mysore: The nine day Dasara cultural extravaganza will be packed with 146 cultural programmes at seven venues, apart from the programmes at Yuva Dasara, the Food festival and the Dasara exhibition featuring performances by 140 artists from across the country,  Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree disclosed here on Thursday evening.

The fare on the anvil includes Hindustani music by Ajay Chakravarthi from Kolkata, light music by Hariharan from Mumbai, Bhajans by Kavitha Podval from Mumbai, Violin Jugalbandi by Lalgudi Krishna and Vijaylakshmi from Chennai, Sangeeth ninaad by Sangeetha Katti, Karnataka, Mandolin concert by Pandit Sugatho Badhuri Kolkata from Kolkata, Indian fusion by Prakash Sontakki from Bengaluru and dance by Padmasri Showan Narayan from Delhi, Dasara sub committee deputy special officer, Palaiah said.

This year, opportunities will be given to 40 percent of local artists while 30 percent artists are from other states. 20 percent are state level artists and 10 percent are artists of national and international acclaim. Mrs Umashree urged Dasara executive Committee Chairperson, Mr V. Srinivasprasad and members of cultural sub committee, to give opportunities to specially abled children, jail inmates and artists from North Karnataka and Hyderabad Karnataka to perform.

Dasara Executive Committee Chairperson, Mr V. Srinivasprasad, said, it will be sub-judice to discuss the property dispute related to the Royal family of Mysore. “Now our focus is on Dasara. We have requested Maharani Pramoda Devi Wadiyar to give us a date to give her an official invitation which we
are yet to get. Last year, we had increased the honorarium from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for the royal family for the Navarathri celebrations.

This year too, we will give the same amount. If they want more, we are ready to increase it,” he said.