Mangalore: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate Mangalore Dasara 2014 at Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Temple on September 25, said Harikrishna Bantwal, temple trustee.

Mangalore Dasara, hosted by century-old Sri Gokarnatheshwara Temple will be formally inaugurated on September 25 at 6.30pm and will be culminated on October 5. Former Union minister and Kudroli Temple chief patron B Janardhan Poojary will preside over the occasion.

File Photo

Under the guidance of Poojary, who was instrumental in renovating the temple, Mangalore Dasara is being held in the city for the past two decades.

Most of the temples in the city including Sri Mangaladevi Temple celebrate Navaratri, but the festival at Kudroli Temple has its own significance as it is being celebrated as Mangalore Dasara. Installation of Navadurge and Mahaganapathi idols during the festival attracts large number of devotees and tourists to Kudroli. The Mangalore Dasara procession held every year marks the end of ten-day festival at Kudroli Temple.

Dasara procession

The idols of Goddess Sharada and Navadurge will be taken in the procession, which will be accompanied by tableaus and cultural troupes. Harikrishna said more than 70 tableaus will take part in the procession, in addition to 3 tableaus by Kerala Folk Akademi. The city will be decked in lightings, he said.