Mangaluru Dasara unites communities with prayers to Nava Durgas, D.K. Shivakumar

Priests offering a shawl and prasadam to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the Sri Mahalakshmi Temple at Uchhila in Udupi district on Thursday. | Photo Credit: UMESH S. SHETTIGAR Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said that Mangaluru Dasara unites communities with prayers to Nava Durgas.Mr. Shivakumar took part in the Mangaluru Dasara last year, but it was during the middle of the festivities. “This time, I have come a little early,” the Chief Minister said while interacting with reporters on his arrival at the Mangaluru International Airport, to attend the Uchhila Mahalakshmi Temple and Mangaluru Dasara (Kudroli Gokarnanatha Temple) festivities.Mr. Shivakumar said, “We are celebrating our State festival Mysuru Dasara on October 21 on the occasion of Vijayadashami. Representatives from Tulu Nadu will be taking part in the festival. Many new programmes have been introduced, and teams from our armed forces will also be participating in the procession. I said that the Kambala would be taken to Mysuru. And, I know from history that during the Vijayanagara period, they used to bring the buffalo bulls during Dasara to Mysuru. This is your festival, the festival of the State.”Plea on SIRSpeaking on the SIR issue, Mr. Shivakumar said, “Today we have filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the SIR data. The right to vote is the right to life. We are all fighting for it. We will continue this fight.”When asked about the ongoing probe into the alleged ‘sting’ operations, he said, “I have no information.”Sugarcane growersLater at the Sri Mahalakshmi Temple at Uchhila in Udupi district, Mr. Shivakumar said that discussions were on with Union Ministers to resolve the issue of sugarcane farmers. He urged farmers to exercise restraint.The Chief Minister said coastal Karnataka has been a “Punya Bhoomi”, and he visits it often to offer prayers. It empowers him to listen and resolve problems of the people.Later, the Chief Minister visited Kudroli Gokarnanatha Temple in Mangaluru, the venue of Mangaluru Dasara. Published - October 15, 2026 09:50 pm IST