Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai announces Rs 6 crore for Dasara festival

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai, in a high-level committee meeting held on Friday, stated that the government would release Rs 6 crores to celebrate the Dasara festival at Mysore, Chamarajanagar, and Sriragapatna. The CM will also be inaugurating a 10-day cultural and religious festival in this regard.

Karnataka gears up for Dasara celebrations

"We have decided to release Rs 6 crores to celebrate Dasara festival at Mysore, Chamarajanagar, and Sriragapatna," the Chief Minister said. "All the rituals in connection with Mysore Dasara celebrations such as the inauguration of the festivities atop Chamundi Hills, Jambu Savari, and lighting of the entire city for 10-days will be conducted". The Karnataka Chief has directed officials concerned to tender an estimation for expanding infrastructure in Mysore regarding the Dasara celebrations.

CM Bommai to boost tourism industry in Karnataka

While talking about the tourism industry, the Chief Minister said, "Several elected representatives have requested to establish a tourist circuit in the Mysore region. The state is home to many potential tourist circuits such as Hampi, Badami, Vijayapura. I will discuss with the Minister for Tourism and officials to make optimum utilisation of the opportunity to increase tourist inflow in the existing tourism policy".

"Tourism has taken a hit due to COVID-19 crisis resulting in an economic slowdown. In this background, concrete steps will be taken to promote tourism in the state, CM Bommai added.

Minister for Cooperation and Mysore District in-Charge Minister, S T Somashekar, Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar, Minister for Urban Development Byrathi Basavaraj, Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar, MPs, Legislators, and other elected representatives were present in the high-power committee meeting on Friday. 

Mysore Dasara

Mysore Dasara is the Nadahabba (state festival) of the state of Karnataka in India. It is a 10-day festival, starting with nine nights called Navaratri and the last day being Vijayadashami. The festival is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The city of Mysuru has a long tradition of celebrating the Dasara festival with grandeur and pomp to mark the festival. This year's Dasara festival in Mysuru will be the 411th anniversary, while evidence suggests the festivities were observed in Karnataka state by the Vijayanagara Empire kings in the 15th century.

With Inputs from ANI

(Picture by ANI, PTI)