This might be strange but true. Though residing right inside the Palace and have been visiting year after year, these people haven't ventured out to see how the city looks like.
The State Government had taken initiative to introduce rural folk the glimpse of Dasara through Dasara Darshana, but it has failed to reach the families of the Mahouts and kavadis, who bring elephants for the Dasara and stay at palace for more than 45 days and return back to their dwellings only after dasara festivities.
For some mahouts the city is only procession route, what they witness while taking elephants for a stroll. Whereas few mahouts and kavadis manage to visit city market and Mysore Zoo in their free time, while their wives and children never get the opportunity.
The sole intention of 'Dasara Darshana' is bringing first time visitors to the city, especially nomads, tribals and people residing in remote villages who never visited the city even once, and providing them the opportunity of being part of historic Dasara. But the family members of Mahouts and Kavadis are deprived of this opportunity.
Pavithra who has been visiting the city with her husband during Dasara for the past eight years says: “I am scared of the traffic and might lose my way if I venture out, as I don't know any place here. I am quite eager to go around the city only if someone accompanies.”
“We come to Palace and return back with our family immediately after Dasara is over. We spend time by cooking food for the husband and children. Only once I had accompanied my husband to the city market and that was around two years ago,” said Lakshmi, another member of the visiting Kavadi's.
“Though we have been visiting Mysore Palace for the past 25 years, I have only been to the Zoo once and watched a movie in the nearby theater. But for this, I have not seen any other place,” says Rama, a mahout.
When contacted Dasara Darshan Committee Member HM Ramesh, he said the issue will be put forth in committee's next meeting.
The State Government had taken initiative to introduce rural folk the glimpse of Dasara through Dasara Darshana, but it has failed to reach the families of the Mahouts and kavadis, who bring elephants for the Dasara and stay at palace for more than 45 days and return back to their dwellings only after dasara festivities.
For some mahouts the city is only procession route, what they witness while taking elephants for a stroll. Whereas few mahouts and kavadis manage to visit city market and Mysore Zoo in their free time, while their wives and children never get the opportunity.
The sole intention of 'Dasara Darshana' is bringing first time visitors to the city, especially nomads, tribals and people residing in remote villages who never visited the city even once, and providing them the opportunity of being part of historic Dasara. But the family members of Mahouts and Kavadis are deprived of this opportunity.
Pavithra who has been visiting the city with her husband during Dasara for the past eight years says: “I am scared of the traffic and might lose my way if I venture out, as I don't know any place here. I am quite eager to go around the city only if someone accompanies.”
“We come to Palace and return back with our family immediately after Dasara is over. We spend time by cooking food for the husband and children. Only once I had accompanied my husband to the city market and that was around two years ago,” said Lakshmi, another member of the visiting Kavadi's.
“Though we have been visiting Mysore Palace for the past 25 years, I have only been to the Zoo once and watched a movie in the nearby theater. But for this, I have not seen any other place,” says Rama, a mahout.
When contacted Dasara Darshan Committee Member HM Ramesh, he said the issue will be put forth in committee's next meeting.
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