Mysuru’s Dasara celebrations will feature a new Navadurga doll exhibition and a series of heritage-focused public programmes from October 11 to 21, as the Heritage Department expands the festival’s cultural tourism offering beyond its traditional events.
For the first time, dolls depicting the nine forms of Navadurga will be displayed at the premises of the Archaeological Museums and Heritage Department inside the Dasara exhibition grounds at Dodda Kere Maidan. The five-tier display will be arranged on the veranda and is intended to attract tourists visiting the exhibition.
The dolls will represent Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. The arrangement follows the traditional practice of displaying dolls on an odd number of tiers during Navratri. The tradition is also used to narrate mythological and historical stories through carefully arranged figures.
According to C.N. Manjula, deputy director of the Heritage Department, the display will reflect the tradition of installing dolls in homes during the Navratri season. She told Prajavani that the department had selected the Navadurga theme for this year’s public exhibition.
The department also plans heritage bicycle rides and heritage walks covering Mysuru’s historic locations, heritage sites and heritage buildings. Participants will receive information about the history of each location from history experts. The programmes are intended to improve public and tourist awareness of the city’s built and cultural heritage.
A tonga ride will also be organised for couples wearing traditional clothing such as the Mysuru peta and Mysuru silk. The activity is planned as part of the department’s effort to present Mysuru’s heritage during the Dasara festival.
The Heritage Department will additionally visit 10 to 15 homes that continue the traditional practice of arranging dolls. Applications will be invited, and department representatives will inspect the displays between October 11 and 14. The first three prizes will be ₹5,000, ₹3,000 and ₹2,000. The department plans to seek advice from people familiar with the tradition while evaluating the arrangements.
To engage younger visitors, including members of Generation Z, the department will conduct a ‘Selfie with Heritage Building’ photography contest. Applications will be invited, and three prizes of ₹5,000, ₹3,000 and ₹2,000 will be awarded for photographs that effectively represent the city’s heritage. The department will seek assistance from people with knowledge of heritage and photography for the contest.
The activities place historic buildings, public heritage spaces and household traditions within the wider Dasara visitor programme. The department’s announced schedule begins with home-display visits from October 11 to 14, while the Navadurga exhibition is planned to continue until October 21.
