The grandeur of Mysuru dasara has always been synonymous with royalty, tradition, and pageantry. This year, however, the festival is draped in the colours of literature as Booker Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq steps forward to inaugurate the celebration. A writer who wields words like a sculptor chisels stone, Mushtaq’s presence signals a cultural bridge—where literature meets legacy, and ink mingles with ivory.
Traditionally inaugurated by political leaders or royal descendants, the decision to invite a literary figure of global stature marks a refreshing shift. Mysuru dasara, with its processions of caparisoned elephants, folk art performances, and spiritual grandeur, is no longer just a festival of the sword or the state—it is becoming a festival of the mind.
The caricature of Mushtaq alongside a richly adorned elephant, holding aloft a symbolic Booker trophy, captures the irony and charm of the moment. The elephant, Mysuru’s eternal emblem of strength, now shares the stage with the author’s pen, suggesting that cultural power today lies not just in physical might, but in intellectual force.
For the literary community, this is a triumph. Banu Mushtaq’s novels, celebrated for their emotional depth and sharp critique of society, will now resonate against the backdrop of palace arches and temple chants. One can imagine the fusion—where the rhythms of dhols and veenas echo the cadence of her prose.
For Mysuru, the move is also strategic. It positions the festival not only as a traditional spectacle but as a global cultural showcase. By foregrounding a writer of Mushtaq’s repute, dasara gains intellectual prestige, appealing not just to tourists but to thinkers, critics, and artists worldwide.
Yet, some may argue that the choice is symbolic of a larger cultural recalibration—where politics takes a backseat, and soft power becomes the vehicle of heritage. It is not just about elephants marching down the streets; it is about ideas parading across the globe.
As the Mysuru skies light up with fireworks, one truth will shine brighter than the rest: in today’s India, the pen is not only mightier than the sword, but sometimes even grander than the royal elephant.
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