Mangalore: The Mangalore Dasara 2012 festivities of Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple will be celebrated with grandeur and splendour  from October 16 to 25. The uniqueness of this year’s Dasara celebrations is that it is being held on the centenary year of the Sri  Kshetra, informed Harikrishna Bantwal.

Speaking to reporters at the Temple on September 29, Saturday, to brief on the Dasara programmes, he said the Dasara festivities in the temple will get off to a colourful start on October  16 with the installation of the idols of Goddess Sharada and Navadurgis in the tastefully decorated  Sri Gokarnanatha Kalyana Mantapa.

He said the Mangalore Dasara festivities are being held in the temple since the past 21 years under the dynamic leadership of senior politician B Janardhan Poojari. There will be a Brahmakalashotsava in the temple on October 19 and 20 in connection with the centenary celebrations of the temple, he informed.

On October 14, a Horekanike procession of vehicles not only from the district, but from various places of the state like Bangalore, will begin from the Nehru Maidan and culminate in the temple.

He also stated that  a variety of cultural programmes by renowned artistes will be held at the Santoshi Kalyana Mantap of the Temple  every evening from 6 pm onwards from October 16 to 23. He further said  that the streets of Mangalore through which the Dasara procession will pass through on Vijaya Dashami Day will be illuminated with  over 14 lakh bulbs.

Temple Committee President Sairam, Treasurer Padmaraj R, Urmila Ramesh Kumar, Raghavendra Kulur, Ravishanker Mijar, Radhakrishna, Devadas, Harishchandra, BG Suvarna, TT Salian, Leelaksha Karkera, Devednra  Poojari  and others were present at the press meet.