Booker Prize-Winning Writer Banu Mushtaq Inaugurates Dasara Festival in Mysuru

BENGALURU: Having cleared the legal hurdles especially over her “faith” (Muslim) coming in the way of the opening Mysore Dasara festivities, International Booker Prize-2025 winner Banu Musthaq on Monday opened Mysore Dasara festivities, on invitation from the State Government, atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru and she termed “The festivities has become an integral part of Urdu speakers (of Mysuru region).”

In 2017, noted Kannada poet Nisar Ahmed, a Muslim, inaugurated the Dasara festivities. 

It may be recalled here, BJP leader and former Lok Sabha member Pratap Simha went in an appeal to the High Court against invitation to Banu Mushtaq to open Dasara festivities which was dismissed. Later, a resident of Bengaluru, Gaurav, knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court against Banu Mushtaq opening Dasara which was also dismissed.

At the inaugural function, Banu Mushtaq attributed that she could visit Chamundi Hills to open Dasara festivities owing to Goddess Chamundeshwari after coming across hassles in the way but eventually made it to inaugurate the festivities over blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari and termed her opening the festivities “as a momentous one.” She was also grateful to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his “moral support" when she faced opposition over her opening Dasara festivities.

Referring to her opposition to her “faith” (being a Muslim) to open Dasara festivities, Banu Mushtaq said Urdu speakers of Mysore on all 10-days during Navratri (9-days) festivities, leave their own mark on the festivities (as per their traditions) and the Urdu speakers celebrate the 10th day of Navarthri ‘Vijayadashmi’ as ‘Silingan.’

Banu Mushtaq said the celebration of Dasara by Urdu-speakers showcases (to the world) that they are not from foreign countries and no different from other members of the society.

In connecting Muslims with Dasara, she stated her close relative “sepoy” Mohammad Ghouse served as a guard during the regime of then Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamaraja Wadiyar and stated his uncle serving as a guard of the then Maharaja of Mysore showed the Maharaja had immense trust in a Muslim guard. “I am proud of it,” she said.

Dasara is not only festivities to celebrate but festivities which bind people and bring all cultures together. “It is a mela (fair) of securing coordination among different members of the society,” she observed and said she prayed to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru, to end 'religious intolerance.'

“The lesson I learnt from this soil is to take all sections to the society together and respect each other,” she said and wanted Dasara to spread peace when the world is at the juncture of waging wars against each other. Banu Musthaq said “A lot can be achieved through words than with weapons." Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke.