Shivakumar was the last ‘First Citizen of City’ to ride on horse in 2023

Mysore/Mysuru: Just like last year, the upcoming Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara — scheduled from Sept. 22 to Oct. 2 — is likely to be held without a Mayor, the ceremonial ‘First Citizen of Mysuru.’ This continued absence marks a break from a cherished tradition that has been part of Dasara for decades.

One of the iconic moments of the Vijayadashami Day procession is the Mayor, dressed in a ceremonial gown and adorned with the traditional Mysore Peta, riding horseback alongside the Jumboo Savari. This spectacle, witnessed by lakhs of people from across the country, symbolises the Mayor’s pride of place in Mysuru’s civic and cultural life.

However, with elections to Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and other Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) — including Zilla Panchayats (ZPs) and Taluk Panchayats (TPs) — pending for an extended period, the MCC currently has no elected Council, and therefore, no Mayor to uphold this tradition. The last Mayor to ride in the procession was Shivakumar in September 2023.

As Dasara nears each year, Mayors — regardless of gender — undergo basic horse-riding training under the guidance of Karnataka Armed Reserve Police (KARP), typically for about 15 days. In recent years, ZP Presidents too have joined this tradition. Their absence is now being deeply felt.

Former Mayor Shivakumar noted, “The absence of a Mayor this year again is glaring and unfortunate. The delay in elections has disrupted one of Dasara’s most recognisable traditions.”

Echoing similar sentiments, another former Mayor, Sunanda Palanetra, said, “The Mayor on horseback is a major attraction during Jumboo Savari. Unfortunately, the Government appears indifferent to the importance of this role. MPs and MLAs cannot fill the void left by the absence of a locally elected representative.”

Former ZP President B.M. Ramu, a close aide of CM Siddaramaiah, added, “Many development works remain stalled at ZP, TP, and Gram Panchayat levels. The Government must immediately conduct elections to restore functional local governance and revive public trust.”