Hassan’s famous Hasanamba Temple was thronged with devotees on the first day of public darshan as thousands of people came to seek blessings of Goddess Hasanamba. Queues were formed outside the temple from 3 am onwards as devotees arrived in large numbers for the annual religious festival. The heavy turnout made the situation festive but difficult for the authorities, who had to make special arrangements to manage the crowds and move devotees easily.
Special darshan was in demand the most. The queue for ₹300 special darshan stretched nearly two kilometres long. Thousands of devotees waited patiently in the queue for an opportunity to enter the temple and pray to the goddess. The queue for ₹1,000 special darshan was also full (the opening day). This rush showed how popular the annual Hasanamba festival is, which draws pilgrims from all parts of Karnataka and neighbouring states.
As per the darshan arrangements, devotees with Gold Passes could have darshan between 8 am and 10 am; VIP and protocol darshan was scheduled between 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. General devotees and those who had purchased special darshan tickets were taken care of separately. As several categories of devotees came to the temple, officials and police personnel were deployed at the entry points to regulate queues and avoid confusion.
Since the turnout was so large, Hassan Superintendent of Police Shubhanvita personally went to the temple premises and checked security arrangements and crowd management. She saw queues for Dharma Darshan, ₹1000 special darshan and ₹300 special darshan. Police were told to be alert and take precautionary measures against overcrowding, pushing, etc., which could put devotees at risk; security arrangements were beefed up at important points so that people could move towards the temple in an orderly manner.
The Hasanamba Jatra Mahotsava was officially inaugurated on Thursday (October 29) with rituals and religious ceremonies. The temple doors were opened as per age-old customs in the presence of several dignitaries and devotees at 12:28 pm on the first Thursday of the Ashwija month. As part of the traditional procedure, Nanjraje Aras of the Arasu family cut a banana stem with a bunch of bananas, and then the sanctum sanctorum doors were ceremoniously opened.
The Hasanamba Temple occupies a special place in the religious and cultural tradition of Hassan district. Goddess Hasanamba is considered the presiding deity of Hassan, and devotees consider it a rare blessing to have darshan of her. Unlike temples that are open throughout the year, Hasanamba Temple opens its doors only once a year for a limited period. This makes the annual festival special, and huge crowds gather during this time.
Devotees wait for the annual opening of the temple; many travel long distances and make arrangements in advance to participate in the celebrations. The belief that the goddess gives darshan only during this period of the year makes it religious too. So the temple is often overcrowded on the opening days and weekends.
Thousands of devotees have already arrived on the first day, so authorities will need to be alert throughout the festival. Police and temple officials will have to watch queue movements, entry arrangements and availability of basic facilities for visitors so that there is a safe experience for them. Devotees also have to follow instructions given by the authorities and cooperate with security personnel.
The massive turnout on the first day has once again proved that devotees have immense faith in Goddess Hasanamba. Queues were seen forming before sunrise, and special darshan slots were quickly filled up in Hassan this year too as the annual Hasanamba Jatra Mahotsava got underway.
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