Rs. 5,000 for ticketed shows

• 100-acre land near Uttanahalli Road identified to organise the popular Yuva Dasara; decision taken by the authorities to reduce traffic congestion inside the city
• About one lakh daily footfalls expected during the five-day gala event from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10
• Musical Nites of Melody Maestro Ilayaraja, renowned Music Director A.R. Rahman, singer Shreya Ghosal, rapper Badshah, music composer Ravi Basrur of KGF-fame likely

This year, the music enthusiasts, who wish to enjoy the events from VIP gallery, will have to shell out Rs. 5,000 per ticket for a single day’s event. With legendary music composers like Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman expected to perform in Mysuru during the five-day event to be held from Oct. 6 to 10 and people not only from Mysuru but from neighbouring districts and Bengaluru expected to come in droves, the sources said that, about 10,000 tickets would be put on sale online.

The District Administration aims at raising the funds through sale of tickets to cover the expenses of Yuva Dasara which alone is estimated to be around Rs. 14 crore.

Mysuru: Yuva Dasara, one of the most awaited events of Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara, attracts a lot of youngsters, especially the college crowd, not only from Mysuru, but from the surrounding districts as well. Till last year, Open Air Theatre in Manasagangothri was the venue, prior to which it was a regular feature at Maharaja’s College Grounds on Krishnaraja Boulevard.

However, this year, the music enthusiasts will have to travel to the outskirts, about 9 kms from KSRTC City Bus Stand to reach the new Yuva Dasara venue located near Uttanahalli, off Mysuru-Nanjangud Road. 

With the State Government having decided to organise Dasara on a grand scale, a team of officials led by Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, who is also the  Dasara Special Officer, Yuva Dasara Sub-Committee’s Deputy Special Officer and SP N. Vishnuvardhana and Assistant Commissioner K.R. Rakshith inspected various spots within and outside the city, to host the event. However, with no suitable venue available to accommodate about a lakh audience, the authorities have decided to organise this year’s Yuva Dasara on a 100-acre land belonging to a private party, near Uttanahalli.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy said that, they were expecting a turnout of about a lakh audience, with the best of music composers and singers performing at this year’s Yuva Dasara.

“The team of officials inspected various venues across the city and outskirts as well. With more than a lakh of people expected to attend the event, we have decided to host the event in the newly identified land located on the Uttanahalli Road,” he added.

Ilayaraja, A.R. Rahman to perform?

If everything goes as per the plan, Mysuru will host both legendary musicians Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman, for the first time during Navarathri festivities. It may be recalled that A.R. Rahman during his early days used to work as a keyboardist under Ilayaraja before becoming a composer himself. However, both will be performing on different days, albeit on the same stage.

Apart from the legendary musicians, noted playback singer Shreya Ghosal, rapper Badshah and Kannada music composer Ravi Basrur of KGF-fame, will be performing during the five-day Yuva Dasara. ‘Sandalwood Night,’ which is a regular feature of Yuva Dasara, will be organised under the supervision of renowned film director S. Narayan, this time.

Huge stage to be installed

This year, the audience at Yuva Dasara can look for a different experience, no less than a carnival. A huge stage measuring 150-ft. in length and 75-ft. in width, a largest stage ever set for any mega event, is expected to be built for this big ticket show by Nirmithi Kendra. Such wide stages are inevitable for the concerts of Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman as they are accompanied by symphony (an orchestra’s large-scale musical composition, usually requiring 50-80 instruments).

How to get there?

People coming from Bengaluru can access Nanjangud Road after passing through KSRTC Sub-Urban Bus Stand and Dasara Exhibition Ground Junction on Bengaluru-Nilgiri (BN) Road, before taking left turn between wrestling stadium and Kuvempu Park to drive straight towards Bandipalya APMC Outer Ring Road (ORR) Junction. They should take left at ORR Junction to enter the road leading to Jwalamukhi Tripurasundari Devi Temple on Uttanahalli, where they can find Yuva Dasara venue on the right side between Uttanahalli and Lalithadrinagar. The authorities will also install signboards on the roads leading to the venue for the convenience of the audience.

Parking, other facilities

With Yuva Dasara venue shifted to the city outskirts, the District Administration and Mysuru District Police have chalked out plans to provide basic amenities and security at the venue. While the authorities will provide drinking water, mobile toilets, parking and transportation facilities, the District Police will provide adequate security on the roads leading to the venue and at the venue. Sufficient lighting arrangements will be made to ensure safety of the audience.

Annual Sulochana Pattabhiraman Utsavam on Sept. 26

Mysuru, Sept. 23- As part of the16th Annual Sulochana Pattabhiraman Utsavam, Vivekananda Institute of Indian Studies (VIIS), a unit of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), Swaralayam Arts Forum (SAF), Houston, USA and College of Fine Arts, University of Mysore, are jointly organising a Karnatak classical music festival on Sept. 26 (Thursday) from 4 pm to 7 pm at the College of Fine Arts in Manasagangothri.

The music festival features Karnatak classical music concerts by Vidwan Bellari Raghavendra, Vidushi Surabhi P. Narasimhan and Keerthana.

R. Ravi Iyer, Founder- Director, Swaralayam Arts Forum, USA and Prof. Anita Vimla Braggs, Principal of University College of Fine Arts will be the chief guests. Dr. G.S. Kumar, Head-Health, SVYM, will preside.

 The concerts will have Vidwan G.S. Ramanujan, Vidwan H.L. Shivashankara Swamy, Vidwan Tumkur B. Ravishankar, Vidushi Divyashree, Vidushu C.V. Shruthi and Amogh Nadadur as the accompanists in the vocal concerts.

For details contact Dr. Rekha Shanmukha on Ph: 0821-2303834 or Mob: 82174-78887.