Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)
Udupi, Oct 11: The fifth edition of Udupi Uchila Dasara-2026 was officially inaugurated by Udupi Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T K at the Sri Mahalakshmi Temple in Uchila on Sunday, October 11.
One of the prominent religious and cultural festivals of coastal Karnataka, Uchila Dasara has gained widespread recognition over the past four years. The 11-day festival, being organised from October 11 to 21, features a range of religious, cultural and social programmes at the Shrimathi Shalini Dr G Shankar Auditorium in Uchila. The event is organised with the support of the Karnataka government’s department of Kannada and Culture and devotees.
Inaugurating the festival, Deputy Commissioner Swaroopa T K said Navaratri inspires people to awaken their courage, strength and knowledge and recognise their inner potential. She described the festival as a sacred occasion to seek the blessings of the Goddess and cultivate positivity and self-confidence. She urged people to recognise their inner strength and resolve to use it for good.
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said the Sri Mahalakshmi Temple in Uchila was given a new look in 2021, and the Dasara celebrations organised under the leadership of Dr G Shankar have since earned special recognition. He called upon devotees to worship the Goddess during the auspicious Navaratri period and seek her blessings for health, happiness, peace and prosperity.
Former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said Dasara is celebrated with great enthusiasm in several districts of Karnataka, including Mysuru, Mangaluru and Shivamogga. To address the absence of a grand Dasara celebration in Udupi district, the festival was being organised on a magnificent scale at the Uchila Sri Mahalakshmi Temple under the leadership of Nadoja Dr G Shankar, he said.
He added that Uchila Dasara continues to grow in grandeur every year, with the celebrations gaining momentum and attracting attention across coastal Karnataka through a combination of religious traditions and diverse cultural programmes.
Festival convenor Nadoja Dr G Shankar delivered the introductory address and outlined the programmes planned for the nine days of Dasara festivities.
Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar inaugurated the Dasara exhibition.
Kapu MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty, Mogaveera Mahajana Sangha president Jaya C Kotian, Dasara Committee president Vinay Kumar Karkera, secretary Sharan Kumar Mattu, office-bearers Giridhar S Suvarna and Satish Amin Padukere, among others, were present on the occasion.