Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, a senior member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, on Thursday issued a detailed statement expressing her concern over the Karnataka government’s plans for this year’s Dasara festival and the political debate linked to the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills.
‘Deeply Disturbing’: Pramoda Devi Wadiyar
Calling the developments “deeply disturbing,” Wadiyar said the controversy over the choice of dignitaries invited to inaugurate the Naada Habba (Janata Dasara) had created unnecessary division. She criticised attempts to justify these choices by claiming that the Chamundeshwari Temple does not strictly belong to the Hindu faith.
“The Karnataka government’s proposed Dasara celebrations this year, especially the politics surrounding the holy Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hills, are deeply disturbing. The selection of dignitaries invited to inaugurate this year’s Naada festival (Janata Dasara) has led to differences of opinion, and it is unnecessary to justify this by saying that the Chamundeshwari Temple does not belong to the Hindu religion,” she said in her statement, as quoted by ANI.
She emphasised that while the temple has historically been worshipped according to Hindu customs, entry has never been restricted to people of other faiths. “Although the temple is worshipped according to Hindu religious customs, people of other religions have always been allowed to enter the temple and still do. If it was not a Hindu temple, it would never have been brought under the Muzrai Department.” read her statement
Wadiyar clarified that the government’s Dasara events should be understood as cultural programmes, not religious rituals. “It is our considered opinion that the government’s Dasara is a cultural celebration. The state does not permit any religious sect to conduct it, and therefore such celebrations cannot be regarded as sacred traditions. For that reason, what the government organises are cultural programmes, not religious practices,” she said.
She further distinguished these public events from the rituals performed privately by the royal family during the Navratri period. “During the Ashwayuja Sharanavaratri, we privately perform religious rituals related to Navratri according to the old customs and traditions, both inside the palace and outside the palace, from Padya to Navami, and conclude with the Vijayadashami celebration. During these days, the Karnataka government cultural programs are organised in front of the palace, so to avoid time overlap with our traditional celebrations, auspicious and suitable times are fixed for the inauguration of Sri Chamundeshwari and the grand procession of Sri Chamundeshwari,” she explained.
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