Mangalore Dasara – Colorful procession marks end of Navarathri

Mangalore Dasara – Colorful procession marks end of Navarathri

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 6: The Mangalore Dasara procession, held on the last day of the 9-day Navarathi Festival, commenced at Kudroli Lord Gokarnanatha Temple on Oct 6 Thursday at 4 p.m. 

The idols of Goddess Sharada, the Navadurgas, and Lord Ganesha were taken out of the temple hall and taken in a colorful procession comprising tableaux, music bands, drum beats, and colorful Trishur umbrellas.

 

 

The Navadurgas are Mahagowri, Mahakali, Shailaputri, Kathyayini, Chandraghanta, Brahmacharini, Kushmandini, Siddhidhathri, and Skandamatha. Some of the folk art forms accompanying the procession were Dollu Kunitha, Hulivesha, Somana Kunitha, Gombe Mela, Karaga, Umbrella Dance, Panchavadya, Chende groups, along with several local performances.

Devotees in hundreds and thousands flocked to the temple to participate in this colorful event. Some of them were foreigners, who were fascinated with the grandeur of the event. 

The procession will pass through Mannagudda, Lady Hill Circle, Ballalbagh, PVS, Navabharat Circle, K. S. Rao Road, Hampankatta, GHS Road, Shri Venkateshwara Temple, and New Chitra Talkies, before returning to Kudroli Temple on the morning of Oct 7 Friday. The final rituals were then held after which the idols were immersed in the temple tank. 

The procession was welcomed by grand arches, electric lights, orchestras, and other adornments.

Vidyarambha: Seer showers blessings on kids
Some kids were sitting silently on the lap of their fathers, while some were running to every nook and corner of the hall. Some even started crying. But when the Pejawar Math Seer Sri Vishweshathirtha Swami entered into the hall, all were silent, looking at Swamiji with a respectful excitement. The Vadiraja Mantap at Kadri was filled with spiritual flavour as the Vidyarambha programme started after the Seer graced the children who started their ‘Vidyarambha’ on the day of Vijayadashami.

The programme also includes the initiation ceremony for the students of Bharatanatyam, classical dances, instrumental music, flute etc.

Pejawar Seer, after blessing the kids, said that the knowledge is the most precious wealth in the universe. It is the only wealth which increases when we are giving it to others.

“When you are pouring the fire of knowledge on one person, that is in turn firing the mind of others also,” he said.

Comparing the children’s heart to lotus, he said it opens petals when the sun of knowledge touches it with its rays. The seer also urged the children to lead a good mannered life.

“Vijaya Dashami’ day is the day Sri Rama started his ‘Jaithrayathra’ against the evil powers. It is on the same day Arjuna regained his ‘Pourusha’ which he hid during the ‘Ajnatha vaasa’. Vijaya Dashami is also known as ‘Vidya Dashami”.

This is the ideal day for children to fight against bad thoughts and bad habits, he added.The seer also distributed kit and shawl to the children who initiated ‘Vidyarambha’. He said that the day is the festival of Goddess Sarawathi. It will wipe away the evil and ignorance from the hearts. The programme was organised by Kalkura Foundation.


Celebrations at other temples

Dasara was grandly celebrated at Mangaladevi Temple. On Vijayadashami, the last day of the festival, the temple priest placed the idol of Goddess Mangaladevi on his head and brought her out for a Bali Puja. The idol was then placed inside a decorated chariot and taken around the temple.

Kollur Shri Mookambika Temple held rathotsava and Chandikayaga to celebrate Navarathri.