Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar performed the Nandi Dhwaja puja at Mysuru Palace on Wednesday, formally setting the stage for the Vijayadashami procession, or Jamboo Savari, a central event in the city’s Dasara celebrations.
The ritual was held in the afternoon at the Balarama Gate of the Amba Vilas Palace. The ceremony marks an important step in the public programme surrounding Mysuru Dasara, which draws large crowds to the palace and other parts of the city.
Speaking to media representatives after the puja, Shivakumar described the occasion as an invaluable and unforgettable moment in his life. He said he had received the opportunity to inaugurate the Vijayadashami procession with the blessings of Chamundeshwari and prayed for good rainfall and a good harvest in the state.
The chief minister also referred to the large number of people who had attended Dasara events this year. He said the blessings of Chamundeshwari were a source of strength and called for the removal of hatred and the creation of harmony. He also spoke of the need to eliminate injustice in different systems, improve the future of young people and enhance the respect accorded to Karnataka in the country.
The ceremony was attended by members of the state council of ministers. The district administration presented the chief minister with an idol of Chamundeshwari after the puja.
The Nandi Dhwaja ceremony precedes the Vijayadashami procession, placing the palace precinct and the city’s event-management systems at the centre of the final phase of the Dasara programme. The procession remains the next major public milestone in the celebrations.
