Chamundeshwari Vardhanthi celebrated atop Chamundi Hills

Mysuru: A sea of people attended the Chamundeshwari Vardhanti atop Chamundi Hills on Wednesday. While Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, maharani Trishika Devi and the family matriarch Pramoda Devi Wadiyar inaugurated the celebrations, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, his wife Chennamma, minister ST Somashekar, Union minister of state Shobha Karandlaje were among the VIPs who attended the event.
The low-key celebration was restricted to temple premises. The entire temple premises was embellished and decorated with several varieties of flowers like roses, marigold, chrysanthemum, and fruits to mark the occasion.
Devotees started to arrive at the temple from 2am. Morning rituals like Abhyajanasnan headed by chief priest of the temple Shashishekhara Deekshith began at the temple as early as 4am. Several pujas were performed starting with Rudrabhisheka, Panchamrutha Abhisheka, Pushparchane, Sahasranaamarchane and others. By the time the temple doors were opened for devotees at 8am, they had thronged the temple in large numbers and had darshan after making a serpentine queue.
Amidst rituals, a Golden Pallakki (palanquin) Utsava was performed which began at 10.30am where the idol of the Goddess was taken around the temple. The Utsava Murthy was decorated by the royal couple with gold jewellery which were specially brought from the Mysore Palace.
The Golden Palanquin carrying the Utsava Murthy went around the temple with chatra-chamara, deevatige and other royal symbols with Palace Band Troupe and the police band.
Free KSRTC bus service was arranged to ferry devotees from Lalitha Mahal Palace grounds at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills to the temple.
A large number of devotees also arrived directly from the city bus stand by climbing the 1,000 steps of the temple.
Shobha takes public transport
Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers’ welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday reached Chamundi Hills taking a public transport.
Accompanied with BJP MLA L Nagendra and Mysuru district BJP chief Mangala Somashekar, she took the bus at the foothills of Chamundi Hills as the private vehicles are banned at the hill shrine. Karandlaje said she will climb the steps to the hill shrine during Dasara festival.