Considering stiff opposition to celebration of Mahisha Dasara during Nav Rathri festival in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, District Commissioner Meena Nagaraj on Wednesday, October 18, imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the district for six days as a precautionary measure. The orders will come to effect from October 19 to 24. Mahisha or Mahishasura is commonly portrayed as a demon in Hindu mythology, but since 2015, there has been a growing movement of marginalised people and rationalist groups in Karnataka asserting their cultural histories by celebrating Mahishasura, who they claim is a Buddhist ruler murdered by Vedic Aryans.
Preparations are underway to celebrate Mahisa Dasara on October 20, led by rationalist, professor KS Bhagwan. Earlier, Mysuru district administration had also clamped prohibitory orders during the Mahisha Dasara celebration. The administration refused to permit the celebrations atop the Chamundi Hill. However, Mahisha Dasara was celebrated at the Town Hall under heavy police cover.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and right-wing organisations are opposing the celebration, saying that the Mahisha was a “demon” killed by goddess Chamundeshwari. The celebration of Mahisha Dasara is against Hindu sentiments, they maintain. However, the Dalit groups and rationalist thinkers claim that the Mahisha was a Buddhist king who won the hearts of the people and he is being projected as a “demon” by the vested interests.
Prof Bhagwan has also made several controversial statements at Mahisha Dasara celebrations in Mysuru. State-wide protests broke out condemning his objectionable statements regarding the Vokkaliga community. Quoting Rastra Kavi Kuvempu, Bhagwan had said that the Vokkaliga community had become fools and slaves to Brahmins. Bhagwan himself belongs to the Vokkaliga community. He had given a call for the people to shun Hindu religion and embrace Buddhism.
Chikkamagaluru was a strong bastion of BJP until previous assembly elections after Congress managed to win all assembly seats of the district. However, the Hindutva organisations are still active and considering the threat to the law and order system, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders.
Read: K’taka cops deny permission for Mahisha Dasara rally, Dalit groups question move