Vajramushti Kalaga not cancelled for first time, says Pramoda Devi

Mysuru: In her statement, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar also addressed the issue around the cancellation of Vajramushti Kalaga.

She said that “The Ustads of the Jetty community meet me before Vijayadashami, during which specific instructions regarding the timing of Vajramushti bout and other necessary arrangements are communicated to them. It is learnt that one group of wrestlers had already entered the Palace premises while the other group was unable to gain entry.”

She added, “Had both groups coordinated their movements and arrived together, the confusion that ensued could have been avoided. Having said that, it was also brought to my notice that the Police personnel deputed at a particular gate refused to let them in for reasons best known to them. Unfortunately, issues arise between the Jetty community and the Police personnel and they continue to recur each year.”

Correcting reports about Vajramushti Kalaga, she said, “The Vajramushti Kalaga was not held on certain occasions in the past, including during the 1970s and 1980s, for various reasons. More recently, in 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vajramushti Kalaga was not held as part of Dasara rituals. Therefore, the claim that it was discontinued for the first time in history is factually incorrect.”