Mysuru: Members of the Dasara Cultural Sub-Committee (non-official) sparked intense outrage by organising a non-vegetarian feast on Oct. 10 (Thursday) at the Karnataka Kalamandira premises on Hunsur Road. The event has drawn sharp criticism from the public, artistes, writers, and community leaders.

The feast followed a felicitation ceremony meant to honour the 132 non-official members of the Dasara Cultural Sub-Committee for their contributions over the past nine days of the festival.

Held at Kalamandira, the ceremony saw participants adorned with garlands and souvenirs, with notable officials like Zilla Panchayat CEO K.M. Gayathri and Assistant Director of the Department of Kannada and Culture, Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, attending briefly before leaving.

However, the decision to hold a large feast in a tent opposite the Kiru Rangamandira has raised serious concerns. Many questioned whether such an act was appropriate for a venue regarded as a cultural and artistic expression hub.

2017 incident

This incident draws parallels to a 2017 controversy when non-vegetarian food was served at a ‘right-to-food’ event at Kalamandira, provoking public protests. Protesters had argued that Kalamandira, as a cultural epicentre, was no place for non-vegetarian meals. The organisers eventually apologised for the breach of decorum.

A similar uproar occurred 40 years ago when the Rotary Club hosted a non-vegetarian feast at the same venue. The backlash was so severe that since then, the Kalamandira premises have remained free from such events — until now. Organising a feast during Dasara, a sacred cultural celebration, is unprecedented and seen as a serious breach of tradition.

“The Dasara Cultural Sub-Committee organised the feast and I was invited as well. However, I chose not to attend because I believe it is inappropriate to hold such a feast at a venue regarded as a temple of art,” said Praveen, a young poet.

The Sub-Committee’s decision to host a grand feast at the Kalamandira premises has been widely condemned as a violation of tradition. Expressing frustration, a staff member from the Department of Kannada and Culture told Star of Mysore, “What can we do when they choose to disregard all customs?”

‘I do not know about any feast’

I have been suffering from viral fever and applied for leave on Thursday, Oct. 10 to rest at home. Previously, during an event at Maneyangala in Kalamandira, progressive writers and activists consumed beef, sparking heated debates both in support and BJP activists who opposed it. Since that incident, no non-vegetarian feast has been held on the Kalamandira premises and there is no scope for organising such an event. I do not know any feast being organised on Oct. 10. —V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Joint Director, Kannada and Culture Department

Suspend officials, demands Vishwanath

The non-official members of the Dasara Cultural Sub-Committee should never have hosted a non-vegetarian feast under the guise of a felicitation event at the sacred Kalamandira premises. If they wished to celebrate, they could have done so elsewhere. This act is a gross violation of the sanctity of a space dedicated to religious, intellectual and cultural events, including theatre and dance. It tarnishes the spirit of the Dasara festivities. The State Government must act swiftly by suspending the officials responsible for permitting this and initiate legal proceedings. —A.H. Vishwanath, Member of the Legislative Council