Devotees throng ‘Dodda Jatre’

Mysuru: Thousands of devotees from Mysuru and other parts of the state thronged Nanjangud to take part in the Sri Gauthama Pancha Maharathotsava, popularly known as Dodda Jatre on Sunday.
The annual car festival was held in the auspicious ‘Meena Lagna’. The temple town is know as the ‘Dakshina Kashi. The car festival began with the utsava murthy of Lord Srikanteshwara Swamy along with the idols of the Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanya and Lord Chandikeshwara being brought to the ‘ratha beedi’, which is the main thoroughfare, by head priest Nagachandra Dixit. Special pujas were offered to the idols by priests at 6am.
Later, at 6.30am the utsava murthy of Lord Srikanteshwara Swamy was installed in the 90ft tall ‘Gouthama Ratha’ followed by the installation of Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanya and Lord Chandikeshwara idols in other four chariots.
The main chariot moved followed by chariots carrying other idols. Devotees had gathered in large numbers throughout the 1.5 km ‘ratha beedi’ where the chariots were taken around before reaching the temple at 9am. While the main chariot was first to arrive near the temple at 8.30 am, the chariot carrying the idol of Goddess Parvathi was the last to arrive at 9 am.
Several devotees also took a holy dip in the Kapila river before arriving at the temple. The ‘Thepotsava’ of Lord Srikanteshwara Swamy will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday. The festivities of the car festival will come to an end on Thursday with ‘Nandivahanotsva’ and ‘Shayanotsava’ to the main deity.