Mysuru Dasara: Vajra Mushti Kalaga called off after wrestlers delayed at palace gates
Mysuru: The traditional Vajra Mushti Kalaga, an ancient form of martial combat in which two wrestlers strike each other on the shaved head with knuckledusters, was not held on Vijayadashami this year after some participants reportedly failed to reach the arena inside the Mysuru Palace premises in time.
The bout is a centuries-old sporting tradition patronised by the Wadiyars of Mysuru. Wrestlers from the Jetti community enter the arena and strike their opponents with knuckledusters, and the wrestler who draws blood from the opponent's head first is declared the winner. The contest is customarily held ahead of the Vijaya Yatra and the Banni Pooja, as part of the private ceremonial procession conducted by the titular head of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family.
On Wednesday (October 21), the event was called off after some wrestlers could not reach the arena on time. A member of the Jetti community said the wrestlers had arrived at the palace on schedule but were stopped by police personnel, who told them their passes had to be scanned and kept them waiting at the entrance.
Another member of the community said that while wrestlers selected for bouts from Bengaluru and Chamarajanagar managed to enter the palace, those from Mysuru and Ramanagara could not reach the arena in time.
According to sources, the palace authorities were unwilling to let the auspicious time fixed for the Vijaya Yatra pass, and decided to cancel the Vajra Mushti Kalaga and proceed with the private procession.
The allegations about the delay have so far come from members of the Jetti community. A version from the police was not immediately available, and officials have not made a public statement on the reasons for holding up the wrestlers at the gate. Readers should note that the accounts of the cause of the delay remain unverified by an independent authority.
The Vajra Mushti Kalaga occupies a distinctive place in the Dasara calendar. Unlike the larger public events of the ten-day festivities, including the Jamboo Savari procession, it is tied to the private rituals of the royal household and is watched by a limited gathering within the palace. Its practitioners regard the contest as a hereditary calling, passed down within the Jetti community, and its performance is seen as part of the ceremonial order of Vijayadashami rather than as a standalone sporting fixture.
Dasara is observed across Karnataka as Nada Habba, the state festival, and draws large numbers of visitors to Mysuru each year. The festivities this year were held under COVID-19 precautions, with restrictions on crowds and movement in and around the palace area. Security arrangements at the palace gates, including the scrutiny of passes for participants and invitees, were tightened accordingly.
The cancellation means that the customary bout will not take place in a year in which several other Dasara traditions were also scaled down or altered to accommodate public health rules. Members of the Jetti community said they would raise the matter with the authorities and seek clarity on why participants with valid accreditation were not allowed through in time.
It remains unclear whether the palace authorities or the district administration will review the arrangements for the event, and whether the bout will be restored to its usual place in next year's Vijayadashami ceremonies.
