The annual Mysuru Dasara festival, a grand celebration of culture and tradition, was inaugurated on Monday by renowned Kannada writer and International Booker Prize winner, Banu Mushtaq. The ceremony, held at the historic Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hills, was attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other state officials.
Banu Mushtaq, a celebrated writer, activist, and lawyer from Karnataka, recently won the prestigious International Booker Prize for her short story collection, “Heart Lamp.” Her selection as the chief inaugurator for the state festival, however, was met with a minor controversy. Some sections of the public and religious groups had objected to the government’s decision, citing her past statements and her identity as a Muslim woman as being out of step with the traditional Hindu rituals of the festival.
The controversy led to petitions being filed in both the Karnataka High Court and the Supreme Court, but both courts dismissed the pleas, upholding the government’s right to choose the inaugurator. In her inaugural address, Mushtaq spoke about the need for unity and peace, calling the festival a symbol of Karnataka’s collective culture.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah strongly defended the government’s choice, stating that the decision was a testament to the secular values of the state and that the majority of the people had accepted it. He also praised Mushtaq’s work and her contributions as an activist and writer.
In her address, Banu Mushtaq made a series of powerful and inclusive statements. She called the festival a “garden of peace for all communities,” and emphasized that “culture is something that bridges and unites hearts.” She addressed her own religious identity, stating, “My religious beliefs have not crossed my house. My understanding of Hindu culture and my relationship with it is evident in the book ‘Booker Banu Baduku Baraha’.” She also spoke of her personal connection to the deity, revealing that a close friend had vowed to Goddess Chamundeshwari that if she won the Booker Prize, she would bring her to the temple. “Fortunately, the Devi has brought me to her temple in this special way,” she said.
Mushtaq also used her speech to highlight the shared history of Mysuru, recalling that her uncle, a sepoy in the bodyguards regiment of Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, was a Muslim. “The Maharaja trusted a Muslim soldier to protect him. That is the legacy of Mysuru — mutual respect and social justice,” she noted.
The inauguration marked the official start of the 11-day festival, which will see a wide array of cultural and religious events, culminating in the famous “Jamboo Savari” procession on Vijayadashami. The choice of Banu Mushtaq as the inaugurator has placed a global spotlight on the event and its evolving nature in contemporary society.
