On 22^nd January 2020, FSL-India Mysore’s Coordinator organised a Cultural Event (CE) for our regular LTV volunteers. Every month, we organise a cultural event for our regular volunteers and we take them to any cultural and historical places which are located in and around Mysore. This month, the Cultural Event was focused on Suttur Festival.

The annual Jathra Mahotsava of Adi Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeshwara Shivayogi Mahaswamigalu is held at Suttur Srikshetra around the second week of January, every year. More than 4 lakh people gather during the Jathra Mahotsava, from all parts of the state. 25 villages in the nearby vicinity take an active part in the celebrations. More than 50,000 people are served free meals every day, for 5 long days, at the Dasoha Bhavan. Myriad activities like poojas, sports for the young, cattle fair, free health checkup camps, art, cultural and scientific exhibitions and agricultural crop demonstrations take place.

In the evenings, there are cultural programmes by performing artists to entertain and educate the general masses. And for the children, there will be Painting and Rangoli competitions during the fair. The Gaddige (Shrine) is a spiritual inspiration for the young and the old alike, and the Jatra is an assembly of faith, devotion, oneness and celestial bliss.

In the morning, FSL-India’s Coordinator and the volunteers started their travel from the meeting point to the place of the cultural event.  In the beginning, the Coordinator explained about the activities. Then, he took the 3 volunteers to the Suttur Festival. FSL-India’s Coordinator explained about each place to the volunteers. After the visit, our Coordinator and volunteers had lunch together and discussed about their experiences in their host families and projects.

Feedback about the Cultural Event:

• I am very impressed by the festival. I have been to this place when it was normal, but now I can’t imagine how busy the village is.
• I am very happy to see the many people and so many playing exhibitions. Especially, the farmers’ festival was very nice.
• I am very happy to see the temple decorations and crowded place first time, and so many cultural things are here.