REPORTAGE
India: in the south of the country, the long-awaited return of the extravagant carnival of Dasara
Audio 01:27
Carrying an idol of 750 kilos of gold, the elephant Arjuna is the star of the parade.
© RFI - Como Bastin
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
In India, this month of October, we celebrate the triumph of light over darkness.
In Mysore, the former royal capital of the state of Karnataka, the traditional giant parade that marks the celebration was canceled in 2020 and 2021. Returning this year, it galvanized hundreds of thousands of Indians with the scent of victory against the pandemic.
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With our special correspondent in Mysore,
Côme Bastin
For the past week, the main avenues of Mysore, Mysuru for the locals, have been covered with garlands.
The rickshaws dressed in flowers and banana leaves.
Nandratra, 16, wears a fantastic disguise.
“
We wear the costumes of the nine avatars of Goddess Durga.
In Hindu mythology, Durga and her husband Shiva watch over the world.
I am very proud to have been chosen to parade in front of so many people
,” he said.
Here, we celebrate nine days during which the goddess Parvati transformed herself into a warrior to defeat the demon Mahishasura.
Called Navratri, in the North, and Durga Puja, in the East of India, this major festival of Hindu mythology responds to the name of Dasara, in the South.
In the great courtyard of the huge palace, where the Wadayar dynasty still resides, the procession begins.
Dancers, fire-eaters and musicians alternate with floats paying homage to the regions of India… or to the coronavirus vaccine.
“
I have never seen so many people
”
In the streets, we climb on the trees to see Arjuna, an elephant who carries an icon of Parvati cast in 750 kilos of gold.
A spectator crammed into the crowd: “
I have never seen so many people.
It is surely because in 2020 and in 2021 Dasara was canceled.
Tickets cost between 3 and 25 euros.
But all these people couldn't get it!
»
Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the unmissable royal parade.
Because if Dasara draws its origin from Hinduism, it brings together all the citizens today, judge Professor Rangaraju, famous historian of the city.
“
Since 1610, the Wadiyar dynasty has celebrated Dasara in Mysore,
” he explains.
The palace, built in 1897, mixes European, Indo-Muslim, and Hindu architecture.
It's this mix that people like, they come from all over the world for this festival.
»
The success of this edition also delighted the city's hoteliers, many of whom had had to close their doors.
►Also listen: The Carnival: between masks and transgressions
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