This Dasara for secularism, peace: Karnataka CM

Mysuru: The 10 day cultural extravaganza, the spectacular Mysuru Dasara took off on Thursday with the inaugural event paying homage to the concept of secularism with both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and noted poet, Prof K S Nissar Ahmed, who launched the festivities,  emphasising  it in their speeches. 

Mr Siddaramaiah not only stressed that Dasara was this year being celebrated to uphold peace, co-existence, and the secular principles of Buddha, Basava, Kuvempu, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and the father of the nation,  Mahatma Gandhi, but also heaped praise on Prof Nissar Ahmed for being a progressive writer, committed to secular principles.  

“Though his mother tongue is Urdu, he wrote in Kannada, which is rare,” he observed.

The Chief Minister revealed that it was decided to keep the Dasara  celebrations simple owing to the drought of the  past three years in the state, but advised farmers of the Cauvery basin not to feel anxious as his government was committed to their welfare.

Welcoming the recent rain that had brought smiles to the faces of farmers on the occasion of Dasara, he noted that for the first time the  Kabini reservoir had filled up in September.

“But KRS, Hemavathi, Narayanpura and Almatti have not filled up and so we have asked farmers not to grow paddy or sugarcane. Over 60 lakh hectares of the 73 lakh hectares of  agricultural land has been cultivated so far,”  he added.

Prof Nissar Ahmed, who participated in the traditional  poojas to  goddess Chamundeswari atop the Chamundi Hills to launch the celebrations, said he was overwhelmed by the honour. 

“I may have been  honoured with several prestigious awards, including the Padmashri, but the honour of being invited to inaugurate the Dasara, which has such historical significance and to offer prayers to the presiding deity of the Kannada land, goddess Chamundeswari  has fulfilled my life. I will never forget this experience. The Haj or Kumba Mela are restricted to their respective communities, but people of all caste and religion descend on Mysuru for the Dasara celebrations,”  he noted, adding that  Mysuru was the cultural capital of the state and not Bengaluru. 

“Bengaluru has become a mélange and in the name of being called a cosmopolitan city is killing the Kannada language and sacrificing our culture,” he regretted.