Theme-based paintings adorn city walls to attract Dasara tourists

Mysuru: Caparisoned elephant, the most loveable Mahishasura, Pattada Kudure, traditional wrestling, Chikka Gadiyara (Dufferin Clock), Nandi Bull, modern art and a host of other paintings reflecting the rich culture and tradition of Mysuru will be adorning the walls of the Central Business District and other tourist places in the city.

This is a precursor to welcome tourists to Dasara, which is less than a month away. Instead of the walls leading to tourist places, just getting a fresh coat of paint, the District Administration and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) have come together with theme-based paintings to showcase the tourist-friendly city and the world famous Dasara.

The MCC has entrusted the students of Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) to do wall paintings and the students in batches have panned out to different parts of the city to exhibit their talents.

MCC Commissioner G. Jagadeesha said that they had taken a leaf out of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which had introduced theme-based wall paintings in many parts of Bengaluru that became a success. “Now, MCC has extended the beautification work and kick started it prior to commencement of Dasara. As a first step, the CAVA students are painting the walls of the Dasara Exhibition compound,” he said and added, “The paintings of the walls serve a dual purpose. One, it attracts the tourists and exposes them to our rich culture and tradition and the second, it stops people from urinating and defacing the walls.”

Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep has stated that Mysuru city is declared as a poster free city. “Hence to promote Dasara themes and to make our city presentable in view of the grand festival, we interacted with the MCC to take up the painting works. The District Administration has sanctioned  Rs. 10 lakh to the wall paintings,” said Randeep.

Private compounds

The MCC, apart from painting walls of Government buildings, also has plans to take permission from private people having properties in prime areas and painting their walls too.