<P> The Hindu festival of Dasara, Navratri and Vijayadashami celebrates the victory of good over evil . It was the day in the Hindu legends when Goddess Chamundeshwari (Durga) killed the demon Mahishasura . Mahishasura is the demon whose slaying by the Goddess gave the city the name Mysuru . The Mysuru tradition celebrates the warriors and the state fighting for the good during this festival, ritually worshipping and displaying the state sword, weapons, elephants, horses along with Hindu Devi goddess in her warrior form (predominantly) as well as the Vishnu avatar Rama . The ceremonies and a major procession is traditionally presided by the king of Mysuru . </P> <P> The city of Mysuru has a long tradition of celebrating the Dasara festival with grandeur and pomp to mark the festival . The Dasara festival in Mysuru completed 400th anniversary in year 2010, while evidence suggests the festivities were observed in Karnataka state by the Vijayanagara Empire kings in the 15th century . </P> <P> The Dasara festivities began with the Vijayanagar kings as early as the 15th Century . The festival played a historical role in the 14th - century Vijayanagara Empire, where it was called Mahanavami and the festivities are shown in the relief artwork of the outer wall of the Hazara Rama temple of Hampi . </P> <P> The Italian traveller Niccolò de' Conti described the festival's intensity and importance as a grandeur religious and martial event with royal support . The event revered Durga as the warrior goddess (some texts refer to her as Chamundeshwari). The celebrations hosted athletic competitions, singing and dancing, fireworks, a pageantry military parade and charitable giving to the public . </P>

Who started the celebration of mysore festival and why
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