Mysore/Mysuru, Sept. 21 -- The centuries-old Mysuru Dasara festival, celebrated as a grand Hindu tradition, is facing ideological turbulence this year, sparking concern among cultural custodians and the royal family.

Speaking at the event, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, expressed unease over recent contradictory statements about the festival.

"For generations, Dasara has been a deeply religious celebration rooted in Hindu tradition while embracing people of all communities. But now, remarks from certain individuals in power - suggesting that the Chamundeshwari Temple doesn't belong to Hindus or that Dasara is purely a secular event - are unsettling public sentime...