Banu Mushtaq inaugurates 11-day Mysuru Dasara festivities at Chamundeshwari temple

Mangalore Today News Network

Mysuru, Sep 22, 2025: Amid tight police security, dressed up in a yellow colour Mysore silk saree with a green border and adorning her hair with Mysuru jasmine, International Booker prize award winner Banu Mushtaq Monday launched the 11-day Mysuru Dasara festivities atop Chamundi Hill.

At 10.17 am at the auspicious ’Vrishchika lagna’, the eminent writer inaugurated the festivities with the traditional lighting of earthen lamp before the idol of Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari Devi, housed in a silver mantapa, on a stage next to Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple. She also offered floral obeisance to Goddess. It is the same idol which will be housed in the golden howdah, carried by Dasara elephant ’Abhimanyu’ during the grand Dasara Jamboo Savari procession on October 2.

Before inauguration, she visited Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple along with CM and other dignitaries. She accepted Mangalaarathi, phala (fruits) and a blue silk saree offered by Sri Chamundeshwari Kshethra development authority.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mysuru district in-charge minister H C Mahadevappa, Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadagi, Tourism Minister H K Patil, Ministers K H Muniyappa, K Venkatesh, MLA of Chamundeshwari constituency, G T Devegowda and others joined her.

At the stage event she was felicitated with Mysore Peta and wooden sculpture of Howdah Elephant. 

As Banu Mushtaq entered the Hill, she was accorded a grand welcome.

She was brought to the venue with a procession of performances by folk cultural troupes like Veeragaase, Dollu Kunitha and others.