Mysuru: A grand and colourful procession marked Valmiki Jayanti celebrations organised by the District Administration in association with Valmiki Jayantotsava Samiti and a host of Nayaka Community Associations, in city this morning.

Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath flagged off the procession in front of Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple at the Palace North Gate.

The procession in which hundreds took part passed through K.R. Circle, D. Devaraj Urs Road, JLB Road, Metropole Circle and Hunsur Road before reaching Kalamandira, where the stage programme will take place later in the afternoon.

Valmiki is revered as the first poet or Adikavi and the scriptor of Ramayana, the first Mahakavya (Epic).

A number of folk troupes including Dollu Kunita, Veeraghase Kunita, Yakshagana Kunita, Kamsale etc., accompanied the procession. More than 50 women carrying Kalashas on their head too were part of the procession.

The procession also featured nearly a dozen tongas, with men dressed in the attire of great personalities such as Yechamma Nayak, Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, Ekalavya, Raja Venkatappa Nayaka, Kumara Rama, Bichugatti Bharaman Nayaka, Karagalli Mara Nayaka,  Kampaleshwara etc.

A number of vehicles carrying the portraits of Valmiki and a tableau on Valmiki’s Gurukula concept lent more colour to the procession.

ZP President Parimala Shyam, MLA G.T. Devegowda, former MLA M.K. Somashekar and others were present.

Inspired by the huge gathering, MLA G.T. Devegowda and former ZP President K. Marigowda danced with the folk troupes, for a couple of minutes even as the procession set off.

Youths pelt stones at Police

However, Valmiki Jayanti celebrations in the temple town of Nanjangud turned violent, when a group of youths pelted stones at the Police who objected to the use of DJ (Disc Jockey) in the celebrations

Nanjangud Dy.SP C. Malik and a couple of other Police Personnel are said to have sustained injuries in the incident.