Glimpses of Mysuru’s royal Dasara in Bengaluru

Bengaluru celebrates Dasara with unique dolls, Garba nights & unseen photos of Royal Dasara by K.V. Subba Rao. India Institute of World Culture, Maya Films & Maharaja Shri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Foundation host exhibition of photos & exclusive glimpses from royal family's collection. Women of Basavanagudi exhibit dolls, sculptures, soap carvings & paintings.

Dasara is here, and the festivities have begun across Bengaluru. Though popular in the city of Mysuru, Bengaluru is no less when it comes to celebrating the Nada habba. With unique dolls set up at homes to huge events like Garba nights, Bengaluru is celebrating the festivity with fervor.

Amidst the colourful programmes, the India Institute of World Culture (IIWC), along with Maya Films and Maharaja Shri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Foundation, has put on display an exhibition of unseen photographs of the Royal Dasara by Mysuru’s veteran photographer K.V. Subba Rao and exclusive glimpses from the royal family’s collection.  On its opening day, the event was attended by Kamakshi Devi Wadiyar and Indrakshi Devi Wadiyar, daughters of Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.

The exhibition has been conceptualised and curated by Maya Chandra, the founder and director of Maya Films. Speaking to The Hindu, Maya said this event is the first of its kind. “We have a group called Basavanagudi Heritage Group that is looking after many of the issues of heritage in the area. Much of our culture and heritage is waning, and the whole idea was to bring back the culture and glory of the royal Dasara and to bring people together to celebrate the spirit of the festivity as a community.”

“In the photo exhibition, we did not just want to showcase pictures of the festivity in Mysuru but wanted to bring back glimpses of the royal Dasara from the days when the Maharajas of Mysuru would sit on the golden howdah. Today’s generation has not witnessed this kind of Dasara. Whatever they are witnessing now is available on any digital platform, but we wanted to make this an exclusive event, which is why we have installed unseen pictures clicked by Subba Rao.”

She was introduced to Subba Rao when she was documenting a podcast on the celebrations of Dasara inside the palace, which is restricted only to the family. “We came across pictures clicked by Subba Rao, and he very willingly shared photographs of Dasara. We got whatever was available and easily sourceable, as much of his work was lost in a fire accident. So, whatever displayed here are exclusive photographs by him,” Maya added.

Ninety-three-year-old Subba Rao was a professional photographer for close to five decades, closely photographing the Wadiyars and the royal events in Mysuru till he hung up his boots. Subba Rao’s studio Photo Flash, established in 1950 on Dhanvantri Road, Mysuru, was known to be one of the most popular studios in the city back then. Subba Rao had the privilege of witnessing and covering the Dasara festival for 30 years, with Wadiyars, the erstwhile rulers of Mysuru leading the annual celebration back then. 

Says Subba Rao, “I am very honoured that my photographs are being presented at this exhibition. Even at the age of 93, I am being recognised through my work, which is very overwhelming. I photographed for 52 years, out of which I spent 30 years of my career photographing the royal family.”