What We Did This Festive Season Holidays

Festive holidays of Dasara and Diwali are long gone, and now we are gearing for Christmas holidays. Dasara and Diwali come hand in hand for all of us. The preparation and celebration is kind of collective.

Though the festival of Navaratri and Vijayadashami all happen in just 10 days, our festive preparation and planning happens for months together. Diwali too this year was a full 4 days affair for us.

This season of Dasara-Diwali 2018 was filled with lot of happenings. It also happened to be a destination festive celebration for us.

Penning down to keep track of a list of what we did this season.

Trip to Mysore – Experience the Grand Dasara in Mysore

Mysore is one hot and happening place during the festival of Dasara. With limited time and kids to cope up with, squeezing everything in our travel plan was difficult. Yet we did quite a lot of things to mark this year’s Dasara holiday as the most memorable one.

One day we will plan well for the Jumbo Sawari on the 10^th day of Vijaya Dashami.

The street lightings across Mysore city roads - pics below.

The Food Festival

What could be more fun when numerous food stalls are set all together in one large ground place? You should try the jowar rotis with the special ennegayi palya, or Davangere benne(butter) dose, or a bowl of gulkand+banana+vanilla icecream/butter or the special chur-muri.

The large papads and mirchi bajis (chilly pakodas/fritters) are fascinating too.

The bakers don’t let this opportunity go-off for displaying their creamiest bakery products.

The Flower Show

The Horticulture Department under the Karnataka Government, prepare several days in advance to collectively display flowers and vegetables in the most stunning designs. 

Here we saw a floral tea pot, mysore palace balarama gate, ashoka pillar, lotus temple, doremon and much more all made of fresh colourful flowers.

Kite Festival

Several huge sized kites were soaring high in the sky with loud music to keep the tourists entertained.

Tonga Ride from the Mysore Palace Gate

Tonga rides in the busy city streets along with horning vehicles is totally a new experience. It adds great fun.

Art Exhibition and Competition at Mysore Dasara Exhibition ground

The exhibition ground displays all art and crafts done by enthusiasts. A collection of Tanjavoor paintings and other oil paintings are displayed for all interested viewers and buyers.

Beautiful Clay Dolls Arrangement at a Friend’s Place

Doll arrangement is a great practice with traditional values in many places in 

Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The stepwise arrangement of several clay/mud dolls weaves in many Hindu mythological stories. 

We saw one beautiful such arrangement and got all excited.

Visit Sri Madhwacharya’s Very Own Pajaka Kshetra

Pajaka is a very important religious kshetra for many devotees. The sacred place is the birth place of Sri Madhwacharya. Several of the Hindu rituals happen here, like namakarna, akshara abhyasa, upanayana, marriage, seemantha shastra, and many more.

This festive season, many visit and gather here adding more values in their lives.

Akshara Abhyasa at Pajaka Kshetra

Witnessing all the kids undergoing Akshara Abhyasa is a divine feeling. The youngest member in our family will begin pre-schooling the next academic year. This Vijayadashami was the right time for Akshara Abhayasa. 

Udupi Sri Krishna Matha – Devi Alankaras for Sri Krishna’s idol

Lord Krishna’s saligrama idol is dressed up and decorated as if hewas a devi. The themes are all different every day. 

The alankaras made to the Lord is a sight to witness in person.

Visit Ambalpady Janardhana Mahakali Temple in Udupi

Mahakali Goddess here in Ambalapady Temple is dressed and beautifully done through the nine days. The puja offerings that happen in the temple is witnessed by devotees far away and near.

Visit Kadiyali Temple, Udupi

Mahisha Mardhini is the diety worshipped in Kadiyali Udupi. The decors are no less anywhere. The lighting and flower arrangement lifts up the festive spirit even more.

Amazing Rangoli Designs Display

No Indian festival is complete without the colourful rangolis. There are several organizations that hold Rangoli competition for women and kids.

Hand made rangoli stickers are very popular these days.

Cultural Programs and Events in the Temple Premises

Bharathanatyam programs and other cultural events are a must watch during the season.

Street shopping and collecting decorative mud diyas for Diwali

Every festival we have in India is an excuse for shopping. From something minimal to all the way that is expensive.

A trip to Lepakshi – A heritage one day trip from Bangalore

Lepakshi is an amazing place famous for Veerabhadra Swamy Temple and a large Nandi Bull carved out of a monolithic rock.

Silk and diamond/gold

Buying silk saree, diamond or gold jewelleries is a tradition that most of us follow during festive season. This diamond and ruby studded pendant from Abharan jewellers got added into our personal collection.

We Indians can never have enough jewellers in our closet.

How was your festive season celebration? Share your festival through the pictures of your celebrations. We will publish here and spread the happiness.