Days after Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa clarified that the Congress government will not come in the way of the Constitutional right to freedom of religious practices, the organising committee of Mahisha Dasara revealed that this year’s Mahisha Dasara will be celebrated on October 13.
Former Mayor and convener of the committee Purushotham told reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday the first round of meeting had scheduled this year’s Mahisha Dasara on October 13.
On behalf of the committee, he sought to thank Mr. Mahadevappa, who is also Minister in charge of Mysuru district, for expressing his commitment to protecting the Constitutional rights of the citizens. He recalled with disappointment the denial of permission by the BJP government to the practice of celebrating Mahisha Dasara atop Chamundi Hills. Though they started celebrating the festival about eight years ago, the BJP government had disallowed them when it was in power.
Mr. Purushotham appealed to the State government to initiate action as per law against the Deputy Commissioners and City Commissioners of Police in Mysuru, who did not allow them to celebrate Mahisha Dasara. He recalled the “insult” and “pain” they endured when permission was denied to them.
Retired professor of Journalism, University of Mysore, Mahesh Chandra Guru, who was also present at the press conference, sought to clarify that Mahisha Dasara is not celebrated to oppose Nada Habba Dasara organised by the State government. “We respect all religions and cultures,” he said.
Mr. Guru contended that Mahishasura was a historical figure, a ruler of Mahisha Mandal, who had wrongly been portrayed as a “villain”. He said Asura was not a demon but “protector of life”. He rrecalled that the Dasara procession till the 1960s featured the “Maharaja” of Mysore seated in the golden howdah that hoisted atop a caparisoned elephant. But, since the 70s, when it began to be celebrated as a “people’s festival”, a decision was taken to carry the deity of Chamundeshwari in the golden howdah.
He questioned the practice of carrying the deity of Chamundeshwari, representative of one religion, when the country’s Constitution was secular. Due representation should have been given to all religions, he argued.
Writer K.S. Bhagavan, who also addressed the press conference, wondered why Mysuru was named after Mahishasura if he were to be a “villain” as claimed.
