President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates Mysuru Dasara Festival; also receives felicitation from Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation in Hubballi, North Karnataka
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a ten-day Mysuru Dasara festival by offering prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari atop Chamundi hills today. Starting her speech in Kannada, the President extended her greetings to the people on the festive occasion. She sought the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari for the well-being of the country and her people.
Later, speaking in Hindi, the President said that Vijayadashmi is the celebration of victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over demon Mahishasura. The President noted that the festival also celebrates women power. She recalled the role played by Rani Abbakka Devi and Rani Chennamma in fighting foreign colonial powers, and Onake Obavva of Chitradurga who countered the soldiers of Hyder Ali.
The President said that since time immemorial, saints have united the society through festivals, and classics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha have guided people on to the forthright path.
In his address on the occasion, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai said that after a gap of two years, the Dasara festival is celebrated at a grand scale this year, post the pandemic. He thanked the President for accepting his invitation to inaugurate the Dasara festival, the first President to do the honours ever.
Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Union Ministers Prahlad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje were among those present on the occasion. After inauguration of the festival, the President left for Hubballi where she will receive a civic honour by Hubballi and Dharwad Municipal Corporation. Later, Ms Murmu will inaugurate a new campus of the Indian Institute of Information Technology in Dharwad.
President Droupadi Murmu was felicitated by Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation in Hubballi today in north Karnataka. On receiving the honour, the President termed it as an honour to all the countrymen. She added that Hubballi Dharwad people have today felicitated a woman coming from an ordinary Odiya family and said that it is an honour to all the women in the country. On this auspicious occasion of Azadi Ka Amrith Mahotsav, She called upon citizens to work for Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
Speaking about educational, cultural, historical, spiritual and religious significance of Hubballi and Dharwad cities in North Karnataka, the President noted that these twin cities stand for linguistic harmony between Kannada and Marathi. It is a merging point of modern with the ancient. The Kannada poets and writers like Da.Ra.Bendre and V. Kru. Gokak, classical singers like Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru originate from here. Religious leaders like Basaveshwara, Siddaruda Maharaj had their spiritual journey from here. Rani Chennamma, freedom fighter Naragunda Babasahed laid down their life for the motherland.
