The Karnataka government’s choice of inviting Kannada writer and Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara celebrations this year has stirred a controversy. It has ignited a public debate on whether the festival should reflect Karnataka’s inclusive cultural identity or remain a strictly religious event.

Critics argue that her identity and past remarks make her unfit for the role, while supporters see it as a step toward inclusivity. But at its core, this controversy raises deep questions about religion, culture, and identity in Karnataka. 

From historical clashes to modern political posturing, Pooja Prasanna unpacks the complexities surrounding Mysuru’s most iconic event, in this week’s Let Me Explain.

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Produced by Megha Mukundan, script by Lakshmi Priya and Pooja Prasanna, camera by Ajay R, edited by Nikhil Sekhar ET, graphics by Dharini Prabharan.

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