Dasara gets rolling

MYSORE: Karnataka's Naada Habba got off to a grand start with Jnanpith laureate Chandrashekhara Kambar offering special puja to goddess Chamundeshwari atop the Chamundi hills.
CM Siddaramaiah, who belongs to the district, recollected the Dasara he had seen as a child, with the Mysore maharaja riding an elephant in the golden howdah. With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, he used the platform to pump up the party's secular image.He also prevailed on goddess Chamundeshwari, the destroyer of evil, to ensure people are not divided on religious lines.
After launching the Dasara film festival at Kalamandir, he made the rounds of the various events.
Tourists thronging Mysore to soak up the 10-day cultural festival, took their pick of what the city has to offer. Other events launched on Day 1 were the theatre fest at Rangayana, adventure sports, Dasara Exhibition and a sports meet.