A face-off between the BJP activists and organisers of Mahisha Dasara was averted with the police clamping prohibitory orders in the city on Friday while ensuring that Chamundi Hills was out of bounds for the general public.
The run up to the Mahisha Dasara – which was renamed as Mahisha Utsava and Dhamma Deeksha - conditional permission was issued by the police to hold it at Town Hall – saw an escalation of tension with both the groups being adamant and sticking to their stance; the organisers of Mahisha Dasara wanted to begin their programme by making floral offerings to the statue of Mahishasura at Chamundi Hills.
The BJP had opposed it and Mysuru MP Pratap Simha had called for a ‘’Chamundi Betta Chalo’’ to foil it and police stepped in and kept Chamundi Hills out of bounds for both the groups besides restricting the public from visiting the hills.
Security had been beefed up across the city and at Chamundi Hills and the steps and roads leading to the hill top saw an additional deployment of police.
Meanwhile, the Mahisha Utsava went off peacefully at Town Hall with speakers vociferously stating their point of view to ‘’reclaim history’’ which, they alleged, was twisted to project Mahishasura as a demon.
The contention of the organisers of Mahisha Utsava is that Mahisha was a Buddhist king and Mysuru region drew its name from him for which there is epigraphical evidence. It is also being argued that the upper castes depicted Mahisha as a demon and spun a myth around it which became part of local folklore and culture.
Speakers at the event included scholar Talakadu Chikkarangegowda who said that an inscription of the Gangas helps trace the genesis of the name of Mysuru but additional research was essential to bring to light the date and events related to Mahisha.
Other speakers included writer Bhagawan and he alleged that Buddha was despised by brahmins as he questioned their belief. He said while Buddhism spread enlightenment and knowledge, the proponents of vedic culture spread superstitious beliefs and added that that there was no need for a belief system or religion which discriminated.
Urilingipeddi Mutt seer Jnana Prakash said Buddhism did not stoke fire in society but doused it and referring to Angulimala – a dreaded brigand who wore a garland of fingers of his victims – added that it (Buddhism) had transformative power to bring about a change even in the heart of the wicked.
Buddhist monk Bhanteja, and former mayor Purushottam were among those present and earlier the Buddhist initiation mantra was chanted and administered oath to the gathering on the main tenets of Buddhism. Jnanaprakash said it was on October 14 that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar took diskha and converted to Buddhism and hence Mahisha Utsava was also an event to commemorate it.
Earlier, the organisers made floral offerings to the statue of Dr. Ambedkar and portraits of Mahishasura and Basavanna.
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