Bangalore: Udupi Pejawar Math seer Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji, has expressed his happiness over his selection to inaugurate the next Dasara (Navaratri) celebrations of Mysore Palace. He welcomed the high opportunity created for him this year to participate in the world famous Mysore Dasara ten-day festival, when the seer completes 80 years of his life.
The decision was taken by a high level committee led by CM Yeddyurappa on Monday. A delegation will soon meet the Pejawar Swamiji and invite him to inaugurate the religious and tourist festival in all its pomp and glory, more in splendour than ever before in 3 years.
The Central Tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahay will be also invited to attend Mysore Dasara to make it a prime tourist spot and to secure Central assistance to make Mysore district as a whole fit for tourism.
The current year’s budget has earmarked an amount of Rs100 crores for celebrating Dasara in Mysore, with Rs10 crores additional given to improve city roads.
The torch light exercises being performed at Banni Mantapa on the last say of Dasara, with a majestic procession of 5 to 7 elephants decorated profusely, will be an enhanced modern sheen in its outlook CM informed. The torch light procession need not remain in its age-old style, but can take a slightly modern look, he has suggested.
An Indian Army platoon may also participate on Vijaya Dashami Day elephants procession, along with local marchers. All steps would be taken to make the Dasara experience terrorism free, for the local and international travelers coming to Mysore.
All embassies of India abroad would be asked to send tourists from those countries to visit Mysore during the dazzling Dasara event, CM stated.
Special aircrafts will take off from prominent Indian cities to Mysore Carrying tourists and travelers in large numbers this year, to attend Dasara to make it a world heritage event.