Speakers at a seminar said here on Sunday, September 10, that the history of Mahishasura had been suppressed and a myth had been spun by projecting him as a demon as he represented the indigenous people.
The Mahisha Dasara Organising Committee had organised a seminar on the ‘’Historical Perspective of Mahishasura’’ who is projected as a demon killed by goddess Chamundeshwari and Dasara is often held to commemorate the event and described as victory of good over evil.
But the resource persons said this was a myth spun by the followers of the ‘’Brahminical forces’’ or the ‘’Vedic forces’’ by suppressing the history of Mahishasura and mythology which, according to them, holds a grip on the masses and was exploitative in nature.
Krishnamurthy Chamaram of KSOU said that in India, history has been mixed with mythology and time had come for sifting the myths from the facts by questioning the established narratives.
He said Mahisha Dasara was not an alternative or a parallel event to Mysuru Dasara but an effort to throw light on a king who has been buried as a mythological person and designated as a demon. Mr. Krishnamurthy Chamaram said social harmony prevails as long as there is unquestioned adherence to established norms. But there is chaos the movement those who are exploited speak for their rights and the reactions to Mahisha Dasara was a testimony to it.
Jnanaprakash Swamiji of Urilinga Peddi Mutt said that time had come to spread the knowledge of history by disentangling it from mythology and the seminar was an effort in that direction. He said one of the objectives of the seminar was to learn about Mahisha and not to insult the religious beliefs of others.
‘’While the Constitution has bestowed right on every individual to follow his beliefs, those opposing Mahisha Dasara were trying to dictate the narrative and preventing others from adhering to their beliefs, which was unconstitutional,’’ he added. Jnanaprakash Swamiji said he organising committee will bring out the presentations, papers and the proceedings of the seminar in the form of a book and will release it on October 13.
Retired professor of University of Mysore Mahesh Chandra Guru said while history represented the truth mythology was falsehood and they had to distinguish the truth from the false. He said Mahisha was a ruler and not a demon and this myth was spun by the followers of Vedic forces which, he said, is exploitative in nature. Speakers at the seminar also said that there was historical evidence of the existence of a king by the name of Mahisha and the region takes its name after him.
Pratap Simha, Mysuru MP, who opposed Mahisha Dasara also came under criticism for his stance. Writer K.S. Bhagawan and others were present.
