Mangalore Dasara

Sharada, Primary deity worshipped in Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple during dasara

The Mangalore Dasara (Tulu:Marnemi, Kannada: Mangaluru Dasara) is a festival in the Indian city of Mangalore organized by Kudroli Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple.[1] It is also referred as Navarathri Festival, Vijayadashami. The tiger dance, lion dance and bear dance are the main attractions.The city is decorated with lights for the 10 days of the occasion.

K.S. Rao Road during Dasara
Gangavatharana, Kudroli

People decorate their houses and businesses, shops, hotels, etc. Most of the roads in Mangalore such as M.G Road, K.S Rao Road, GHS Road are decorated for the procession. The image of Mangalore City Corporation building decorated with colorful and bright lights makes for a spectacular viewing.

The hundred year anniversary (1912 - 2012) celebration was the center of attraction during the Navrathri festival. Navrathriand Shivarathri are the two big festivals celebrated at Gokarnanatheshwara Temple. Mangalore Dasara was started by B.R.Karkera.

Tiger Dance

Royal Tiger dance (Tulu: Pilivesa, Kannada: Hulivesha) is a folk dance performed during Dasara. Typically young males form troops of five to ten. They are costumed like tigers and use a band with two or three drummers. They roam around the streets and houses. The tiger dance is performed to honor the goddess Sharada, whose favoured animal is the tiger.

Gokarnanatheshwara Temple during Navaratri

Dasara idols in Gokarnanatheshwara Temple

During Navaratri various idols along with Sharada Devi will be installed by the priests at Swarna Kalamantapa amidst the chanting of hymns and performance of Vedic rituals.[2] In these nine days of celebrations, the decorated idols of Sharada Devi along with Mahaganapati and navadurgas will be worshipped.

The Kudroli temple trust keeps the `Gangavatharana’ (Ganges water flowing from the crown of Lord Shiva) in operation for all 9 days during the Navarathri. The depiction has 4 colorful idols of Shiva 13 feet high with a water jet to rush towards the sky reaching 100 feet. As the water from four sides reach their pinnacle they take the shape of a Shivalingam.

The Grand Procession

Idol of Chandraghanta, one of the nine forms of goddess Parvati on tableaux during the procession.

The procession begins from the Kudroli Shree Gokarnanatheshwara Temple in the evening of Vijaya Dashami and will end end at same venue early morning Next day with the immersion of the idols at the Pushkarini pond inside the temple complex.[2] Idols of ‘Navadurgas’ along with Mahaganapathi and Sharada are carried in the procession, augmented by flowers, decorative umbrellas, tableaux, bands, chende and traditional dances, folk dances, Yakshagana characters, Dollu Kunitha, gombe (dolls), Hulivesha(Tiger Dance) and other traditional art forms. The procession passes through the main roads of the city including Kudroli, Mannagudda, Ladyhill, Lalbagh, K S Rao road, Hampanakatta, Car Street and Alake.

Other Locations

Though primary location of Mangalore Dasara is Kudroli Shri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, Mangalore Dasara can also be referred to as the group of celebrations/events organized by temples such as Mangaladevi, Sri Venkatramana Temple etc.

Mangaladevi Dasara

Chariot of Mangaladevi Temple

Mangaladevi, Bolar attracts devotees all over India to celebrate the Dasara festival.[1] Mangalore got its name from Mangaladevi. Mangaladevi temple arranges cultural programmes such as folk, music, drama, plays on various themes, ballets and devotional songs. On the ninth day, known as mahanavami, devotees participate in the Rathotsava (car festival). The decorated goddess is mounted on the grand chariot and pulled with thick ropes. The Rathothsava is filled with various deities and many tableaux decorated with colorful lights. The procession reaches Marnamikatta where the goddess is worshipped.[3]

Mangalore Sharadotsava

Popularly known as "Mangalore Sharadotsava" or "Sharada Mahotsava" is a 9 days celebration during the Navaratri in Sri Venkatramana Temple, Dongarekeri. Idol of Goddess Sharada is installed at Acharya Mutt of Sri Venkataramana Temple, Car Street. The idol is earlier brought to the Mutt premises in a grand procession.[4] The festivities will conclude with a colourful and grand procession carrying the idol of Goddess Sharada would be taken out on the main streets of the city where thousands of people gather on either sides of the streets to witness the procession.[5] The idol will be immersed at the Mahamaya Temple lake during the wee hours upon the culmination of the procession.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Mangalorean. "Mangalore Dasara 2016 |Kudroli Dussehra Navarathri |Namma Kudla | Tiger dance | Bear Dance | Sharada Utsava Procession". mangaloredasara.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  2. ↑ "Mangaluru Dasara concludes with spectacular procession". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 2016-11-16.
  3. ↑ "Mangaladevi Temple". www.mangaladevitemple.com. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  4. ↑ Mangalore, Mangalore Today,. "Idol of Goddess Sharada installed at Acharya Mutt of SVT". www.mangaloretoday.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  5. ↑ "Sri Venkatramana Temple Sharadotsava".
  6. ↑ rajsolutiones.net. "Welcome to Sri Venkataramana Temple Dongerkery Mangalore". dvtmangalore.org. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
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