Grameena Dasara takes off at Nanjangud town

NANJANGUD: As the countdown has started for the world famous Dasara festivities, the Rural Dasara (Grameena Dasara) which is part of the Dasara celebrations at panchayat and block level, took off officially from Nanjangud town.The Rural Dasara event took off with the former Union Minister and MLA V Srinivasa Prasad inaugurating it by offering puja to Nandhi kabba and offering flowers to goddess Chamundeshwari’s idol placed on Kalpana, elephant owned by Srikanteshwara temple.District-In-charge Minister S A Ramadas, zilla panchayat president Sunitha Veerappa Gowda, ZP CEO Sathyavathi and others joined the inauguration held at Junior College grounds.The procession with women carrying Kalasa, school children band, folk artists, tableaux’s depicting legal action against child marriages and on rural education and hygienic atmosphere, passed through prominent streets spreading the Dasara fever in rural areas. The idol of Srikanteshwara was also taken in a decorated vehicle during the procession.The government has released `3,000 each to village panchayats to organise events to bring in a festive mood in the villages and also on educating people on rural sanitation and other aspects during the festivities.District-In-charge Minister S A Ramadas said that Grameena Dasara will be held in all the seven taluks of the districts focusing on exhibiting rich heritage and culture, and will revive desi sports on the verge of extinction. He said that the Dasara celebrations will come alive in rural areas and efforts will be made to give wide publicity for the programmes.Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar said that the heritage and culture is protected only in rural areas and felt the need to encourage those into promotion of local art and culture.He said that Dasara festivities is celebrated in all the districts in one or the other form and the government should assist them financially. Former minister and MLA V Srinivasa Prasad commended the district administration for holding Dasara cultural programmes in an organised manner.