MYSURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the state government has decided to have Koppal Gavimath seer Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji inaugurate this year’s Mysuru Dasara celebrations.
Born as Parvataiah (Paruthadevaru) in Hagargundi village of Kalaburagi district, he took over as the pontiff of Gavimath on December 13, 2002. He was appointed the 18th pontiff of the Gavimath by Shivashanthaveera Swamiji. Since then, Abhinava Gavisiddheshwara Swamiji has been credited with taking the Gavimath to greater prominence across the country.
Shivakumar said he had invited the seer to inaugurate the Nada Habba Dasara and that he had accepted the invitation. “I have sent an invitation to Sri Abhinava Gavisiddeshwara Mahaswamiji of Koppal to inaugurate this year’s Dasara. I also spoke to him over the phone this morning. He has accepted our invitation,” the Chief Minister said.
Shivakumar also invited all members of both Houses of the Karnataka Legislature to attend the Dasara festivities. There was a growing demand from a section of farmers and politicians to invite Justice Nagarathna to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara, while the names of former cricketers Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble were also doing the rounds on the list of probables for the inauguration.
The state government has limited participation in the tableaux as part of the Mysuru Dasara Jamboo Savari to 15 districts, leaving out Tumakuru, the second-largest district in the state, and the home district of Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwara. It is learnt that the DCM spoke to Kannada and Culture Department Secretary Manjushree N, who is also the chairperson of the committee overseeing the selection of Dasara tableaux, following Tumakuru’s exclusion. Manjushree told TNIE that the selection committee had no role in it.
“The government had decided to restrict the tableaux to 15 districts. The selection was subsequently made ensuring that each tableau would be unique and reflect the respective district’s profile, including its culture and heritage,” she said.