Mysuru: Stating that we should speak taking history into account and not on the basis of ancient texts, Litterateur Dr. Vithal Waggan said that one should not be afraid of speaking history. 

He was speaking at the ‘Mahisha Mandalotsava’ (Mahisha Dasara) organised by Mahisha Mandalotsava Acharana Samiti at Town Hall in the heart of the city yesterday. 

Stating that Mahisha statues have a history of thousands of years, Dr. Waggan said, Mahisha statues, apart from the one atop Chamundi Hill, can also be seen at KGF in Kolar, Koliwad in Hubballi, Malegaon in Bidar, Barkur in Udupi and in States such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Wondering why our ancestors built statues of Mahisha if he was indeed a demon as characterised in ancient texts, he stressed on the need for telling the society the truth about Mahisha along with proof. 

Noting that there are sculptures of Mahisha in several homes at Malegaon in Bidar, he said that while the sword in one hand of Mahisha symbolises his valour, the snake hood on the other hand symbolises the knowledge of Muchalinda Naga (the mighty king of serpents). 

Former Mayor Purushottam, in his address, said that it was unnecessary to deploy a large posse of Policemen around Mahisha statue atop Chamundi Hill during ‘Mandalotsava’ celebrations. Alleging that anti-Constitutional forces were hatching a plot to destroy democratic principles, he said, however, no force on earth can change the country’s Constitution. 

Senior writer Prof. K.S. Bhagawan and veteran Historian Prof. P.V. Nanjaraj Urs too spoke. 

Writer Dr. Vithal Waggan’s book titled ‘Mahisha Chaaritrika: Chamundi Kaalpanika’ was released on the occasion. Earlier, floral tributes were offered to the portrait of Mahisha, while writer Siddaraju, the author of the book ‘Mahisha Mandala,’ delivered the keynote address. 

DSS leaders Harihara Anandaswamy and Mellahalli Narayan, Adi Karnataka Maha Samsthe’s Siddaraju, Bhimarao Samiti’s Maniyayya Bhugathagalli, Bharath Ramaswamy, Chikka Andani, Somaiah Maleyur, Alagudu Shivakumar, Siddaswamy and others were present. 

Karnataka Dalit Panthers 

Mahisha Dasara was also celebrated by Karnataka Dalit Panthers at Gandhinagar in the city by offering floral tributes to a portrait of Mahisha.  

Dalit Panthers President Yoganarasimha, local leaders Dr. Chennakeshavamurthy, Giriyanna, Udaykumar, Manjunath, Daniyamma, Naganna, Dinesh, Chetan, Kantharaju, Rajesh and others were present.