By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
Preparations are in place for the inauguration of Naada Habba Dasara at Chamundi Hills on Monday.
Kannada writer Banu Mushtaq will inaugurate the festival at Chamundeshwari Temple between 10.10 a.m. and 10.40 a.m. in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other leaders.
The temple has been decked up with flowers and the processional deity of goddess Chamundeshwari polished to lend a sheen for the occasion.
Security has been beefed up at the venue and the road leading to Chamundi Hills in the wake of BJP’s opposition to the selection of Banu Mushtaq for inauguration. Though the High Court of Karnataka and Supreme Court has dismissed petitions questioning her right to inaugurate the festival, the authorities are taking no chances and want to ensure an incident-free inauguration.
After participating in Dasara inauguration, Mr. Siddaramaiah will inaugurate a slew of events including the Flower Show at Kuppanna Park at 12.30 p.m., Aahara Mela at the Maharaja’s College Ground at 1 p.m, traditional wrestling bouts at D. Devaraja Urs Multipurpose Stadium at 4 p.m., and the State-level Dasara Sports at Chamundi Vihar Stadium at 5.30 p.m. Mr. Siddaramaiah will also inaugurate the Dasara Exhibition at 7.30 p.m.
The Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj S. Tangadagi will inaugurate an art camp on CAVA campus at 4 p.m. and a book exhibition at Bharat Scout and Guides ground at 5 p.m.
Yoga Dasara will be held at the J.K. Grounds from 5 p.m. and Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao will inaugurate it. The illumination of city streets, circles, and heritage buildings will be switched on by Minister for Energy K.J. George at 6.30 p.m.
In view of the high footfall and holiday rush, the city police have announced that one-way rule will be enforced on important roads leading to the palace to ensure smooth flow of traffic. Besides, vehicle parking has been banned on either side of the roads in the heart of the city.
