The Mysuru Dasara, one of Karnataka’s grandest celebrations, is not just a cultural event but a deeply rooted Hindu religious tradition that traces its origins to the Vijayanagar Empire. It was established as a royal festival to honor Devi Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. Over the centuries, Dasara has become a unique blend of devotion, history, and cultural pride, making the choice of its inaugurator a matter of great significance to Hindu devotees.
As per the Communemag, this year, the Congress government has courted controversy by appointing Banu Mushtaq, a Muslim activist, to inaugurate the Dasara celebrations. Critics argue that this is nothing but a misplaced attempt at liberalism, disregarding the religious sanctity of the festival. In a land where Dasara is intrinsically tied to Devi Chamundeshwari, entrusting the ceremonial inauguration to someone who does not adhere to Hindu beliefs has triggered widespread anger.
The move has also reopened debates about past instances where Muslim figures were invited to participate in Dasara. While it is true that there has historically been a limited involvement of Muslims in certain aspects of Mysuru’s cultural landscape, the core essence of Dasara has always remained tied to the Hindu faith and tradition. To equate occasional participation with the right to perform inaugurations of a sacred festival is seen by many as a distortion of cultural continuity.
Controversial pick: Anti-Hindu voice to inaugurate Dasara
What has intensified the backlash is Banu Mushtaq’s own record. Merely two years ago, she made controversial remarks regarding Devi Bhuvaneshwari. Hindus question how someone who has made disparaging remarks about Hindu deities can now be given the honor of inaugurating a festival dedicated to Devi Chamundeshwari.
“Sir, you spoke about the Kannada language, literature, and culture on that platform. As a minority woman, I am presenting my understanding of the Kannada language before you. Whether you like it or find it difficult, I don’t know. To grow Kannada as a language, for Banu Mushtaq to speak in Kannada, your family did not even give her the opportunity to speak in Kannada at home. You have made Kannada the ‘Kannada Bhuvaneshwari.’ Wearing red and yellow turmeric kumkum flags, why did you smear turmeric kumkum and take her away and seat her on a bench? Where should I stand? What should I see? How should I get involved? My exclusion didn’t start today; it began long ago. Today, it is coming to completion; that’s all. Please think about this because wherever a woman is worshipped as a goddess, when you seat a woman on a bench, the goddesses will be pleased. But here, you have seated Kannada Amma (Mother Kannada) in a temple and made her sit on a bench. How are you mistreating women, showing cruelty and violence? You are also abusing the Kannada language in this way. You are answerable to me; I am responding to a wall that should have answered me. My answer to you: make Kannada the Bhuvaneshwari, pull the chariot of Kannada, hold the festival of Kannada, and organize the Kannada parishad (council). Whatever you do, how many barriers do you need to exclude me at such a crucial time?”
The decision to allow a controversial Muslim woman, who has previously made derogatory remarks against the Karnataka flag and openly opposed Hindu traditions such as Datta Peeta, to inaugurate Dasara raises serious questions. When someone with a track record of undermining this very heritage is chosen for such an honor, it appears either as a sign of the Congress government’s weakness or as a deliberate attempt to insult and alienate the Hindu community.
A woman who opposed to Hindu dharmic practices asked to open Dasara
Mohan Gowda of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti criticized the government’s decision. He stated, “This is not appreciable.” There are great Hindu poets in Mysuru, like Dr. S. L. Bhyrappa, who has been honored with the Padma Bhushan. The government could have invited such stalwarts. But instead, they chose a woman who has no faith in Hindu Dharma and Dharmaik values. How can she inaugurate Dasara, which is dedicated to Chamundeshwari Devi?”
Mohan Gowda stated, “Mysuru Dasara is a grand festival deeply rooted in Hindu traditions and follows dharmic practices, celebrated every single day with rituals, culture, and devotion to Devi Chamundeshwari, the Nada Devathe. Against this sacred backdrop, the Congress government has committed a grave mistake by inviting Banu Mushtaq, a Muslim woman, to inaugurate the festival. How can someone who neither follows mūrti pūjā nor believes in the core traditions of Hindu culture be considered fit for such an honor? Her past involvement in disputes against Hindu beliefs, including openly supporting groups that opposed traditional practices during the Datta Peeta controversy, makes the matter even worse. I strongly question how a person who has consistently stood against Hindu dharmic values could be entrusted with inaugurating a festival that is, at its very essence, a celebration of Hindu identity and heritage.”
On the day of Gowri Habba, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s incendiary claim that “Chamundi Betta and Chamundi Devaru are not Hindu property” was not just deeply offensive; it was a blatant erosion of centuries of Hindu tradition and reverence. Chamundi Betta stands as a sanctified Shakti Peetha, enshrined in the Shastras and worshipped by crores of Hindus. Such remarks, especially when made on a day of bhakthi and pooja, cannot be brushed aside.
Amidst this turmoil, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the ceremonial Maharaja of Mysore and Member of Parliament, joined the chorus of disapproval. Alongside other BJP leaders like Tejasvi Surya, he opposed the Congress government’s controversial invitation to Banu Mushtaq, the Booker Prize-winning author, to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festival. Their objection was rooted not in prejudice, but in the belief that such an event, deeply embedded in Hindu ritual and devotion, should be accorded spiritual sanctity, not secular optics.
The people of Karnataka have always stood for religious harmony, but they cannot, and will not, tolerate politically motivated attacks on Hindu festivals, temples, and religious sentiment. The legacy of Chamundeshwari Devi is not up for negotiation. It remains, and must remain, the proud property of Hindu Dharma.
A woman who openly rejects murti pujaa and has consistently opposed Hindu dharmic practices can never be the rightful face of Mysuru Dasara. In Islamic theology, Hindus are often branded as kāfirs (non-believers). When someone like Banu Mushtaq, who postures as a secularist but has repeatedly taken pro-Islamic and anti-Hindu stands, steps onto such a sacred platform, it insults the very spirit of Dasara. How can she, who does not revere Devi Chamundeshwari or believe in Hindu traditions, genuinely pray for the well-being of Hindus? Her mindset is evident from her past record, where she sided against the Hindu faith during the Datta Peeta controversy and mocked symbols sacred to Kannadigas and Hindus alike.
The Congress government in Karnataka has, time and again, stood against Hindus, whether by backing Islamist interests, appeasing minority groups for votes, going against Hindu temples, or undermining Hindu traditions in the name of so-called secularism. Now, even in the celebration of Dasara, they have chosen to wound Hindu sentiments by placing an anti-Hindu face at the forefront of a sacred dharmic festival. This is not respect for diversity; it is sheer political appeasement. Congress has once again exposed itself as a necrotic party with no real vision for Karnataka, surviving only on divisive politics and a poor, short-sighted agenda that thrives on weakening Hindu identity.
The question in the caption is “Why is the Karnataka Congress government targeting Hindus?”
Well, the “Hindus” voted this Congrsss people to power, knowing very well their role as wretched sidekicks to jihadi Mohammadans. We must appreciate brave voices of people mentioned like Akshay Akki, Yaduveer Wadiyar, Tejasvi Surya, Mohan Gowda, and also Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.
A Mohammadan Banu Mushtaq, who actually is ideologically hostile and intolerant of Devi Chamundeshwari, and Hindu faith and practices, who has aligned herself to a faith that is intolerant and murderously hostile to “non-believers” and their practices in it’s core, is being chosen to inaugurate a festival dedicated to such divine figure and ideology. This is a cruel sadistic mockery of believing Hindus.
If we take out Hindu sounding anti-Hindus, then remaining Hindus are not only in minority, but most of them are also very passive, silent and self-serving. So a very insignificant small number of people protesting such sadistic criminal religion mockery makes no difference to all these Hindu sounding anti-Hindu rulers and voters. And to say that the Hindus believe in ‘religious harmony’ actually sanctfies and hides the criminal cowardice of both faithful and secular” Hindus.
Now while recording and publishing such news is very much appreciated, the question is why HinduPost and other publications not address the core issues and debate their resolutions? This only prevents us from trying to achieve what we want to, and the future real Hindu generations are not being prepared but actually being trapped in even greater Mohammadan jihadism.