Mysuru: With Dasara celebrations just a few days away, members of various organisations have again prevailed upon state govt to revive Chamarajanagar Dasara festivities, which were stopped last year by state govt. A memorandum to host Chamarajanagar Dasara was submitted to CM DK Shivakumar.Since 2013, govt hosted Chamarajanagar Dasara for three days and provided funds. Following demands from locals, artistes and cultural troupes, the then ministers V Sreenivasa Prasad and HM Mahadeva Prasad took the lead in hosting Chamarajanagar Dasara like Srirangapatna Dasara. Govt released Rs 3 crore on the lines of govt’s release of funds for Mysuru Dasara festivities.Chamarajanagar district administration conducted a slew of cultural events in front of Chamarajeshwara temple, JH Patel stadium, Dr Rajkumar Town Hall, among other places, including making illumination arrangements, holding a procession of folk arts, Raitha Dasara, Mahila Dasara and a flower show, among other events, utilising the available funds sanctioned by govt.Chamarajanagar is named after Mysuru maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar as he was born in the town. Chamarajanagar was also bifurcated from Mysuru district in the late 1990s.Veeragase artist Shivarudraswamy said that the sudden stoppage of Chamarajanagar district-level Dasara celebrations without any intimation has hurt a lot of cultural troupes and folk artistes like me. “As Chamarajanagar is home to tradition and thousands of artistes, like Lord Mahadeshwara, Manteswamy, Rachappaji and Siddappji and the Neelagara tradition, govt must reconsider its decision and celebrate the event for the promotion of folk arts of the region,” he said.Speaking to TOI, Chamarajanagar additional deputy commissioner T Javaregowda said that members of Akhila Karnataka Kannada Mahasabha, among other Kannada and folk organisations, have submitted a memorandum to state govt through him to resume Chamarajanagar district-level Dasara celebrations after lodging a protest in the district headquarters. The district administration has forwarded these letters to CM DK Shivakumar and brought them to the notice of govt, he said.
