Mangalore: Feudal Mysore may have its 10-day Dasara festival with a prince on the throne to boot and make merry. But there are other cities also which celebrate Durga Puja or  Dasara, for example, Bangalore, Madikeri (kodagu) and coastal Kudroli Temple(Mangalore). The last one, most-impressive in its beauty, appeal and a mile-long procession on Vijaya Dashami day, has already deprived Mysore Dasara of thousands of visitors who stay put in coastal MCC to witness the Mangalore Dasara.

 The city also has a Durga Puja by local Bengalee population in a kalyana Mantapa(Palke Hall) on the posh M.G. Road, Lalbagh area, where about 500 Bengalees celebrate Puja with an idol pointed by artists coming from Krishna-nagar near kolkata. There are Durga, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Kumara, besides the inevitable Mahishasura, a buffalo demon.

Back to kudroli, the marble shrine and premises attracted state governors from Bangalore to Mangalore, who left wondering and singing praises of the superb architecture and idols on display here. At Navaratra, before the procession due on October 6 at 5PM, the festival starts on September 28 at the only shrine established outside Kerala by Sri Narayana Guru, a saint and humanist, in Sri Gokarnanath Temple premises in Kudroli in city.

Sri Durga is remembered and known as the Goddess of Power and Knowledge. There are umpteen temples in her name on the west coast in Karnataka. There are 9 Durgas who are decorated and presented in a single hall at kudroli temple. There is also a festival of Sharada Devi, the Goddess of Learning and Culture among Hindus. All preparations are in full swing, said in a Administration Committee chief, H.S.Sairam in a press meet held on Saturday at the spot.

The Mangalore Dasara festival at Kudroli is run by local devotees since 21 years now. Vayalar Ravi, union Minister for Civil Aviation and NRIs, inaugurates the event at 6 PM on October 2 at he shrine, Sairam in formed.

Several Cultural programmes will be gone through by international and local reputed artistes daily at 6PM onwards at the Santoshi Kala Mantapa. On October 6 at 5PM Sharada Devi Shobha Yatra commences from the temple premises for over a mile with dancers and floats around. The procession travels 6 kms. in city for immersion, and new lighting arrangements are created then. A TV channel will carry the show to all over India and to people abroad. B. Janardhana Poojary, is the patron of Kudroli shrine and several of his reputed colleagues were present during press talks.

The entire 10-day event serves food to all devotees, besides entertains them in the glory of  Sri Narayana guru.