Thousands of devotees flocked to the famous Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hills on the third Ashada Friday, the most significant day in the temple's annual calendar. From early in the morning to late in the evening, a constant stream of devotees arrived at the hill shrine to worship Goddess Chamundeshwari. The temple opened up on Ashada Friday as early as 4 a.m.
The temple began with elaborate religious rituals at 3:30 a.m., with pujas, abhisheka, and other rituals performed by priests. The festival brought in devotees from all over Karnataka and neighbouring states, and the hill became one of the most popular pilgrimage locations of the day.
The temple was festively decorated with flowers to add to the spiritual grandeur. Goddess Chamundeshwari, who is the goddess of the temple, was covered in a parrot-green saree as a part of the special Lakshmi Alankara (proclamation of prosperity, abundance, and divine grace). A beautiful decoration attracted the attention of the devotees who eagerly waited in long lines for darshan.
To keep the crowd moving smoothly, the Mysuru district administration made several special arrangements. Following the restrictions introduced this week, VIP recommendation letters were not accepted, and vehicles based on VIP recommendations were not allowed to enter to facilitate better movement of pilgrims.
In addition, private vehicles belonging to the general public were not allowed to proceed up Chamundi Hills. Instead, the district administration arranged shuttle bus services from Lalitha Mahal Grounds to the hilltop so that devotees could take a leisurely trip and reduce traffic congestion.
The transport arrangements helped control the heavy flow of pilgrims and smooth the way the pilgrims were moving throughout the day. Officials monitored the situation as thousands of people were coming from the early morning hours.
Due to the expected rush, security arrangements were made in Chamundi Hills. Police were at all the places, including the temple premises, entry points, parking areas, and along the hill roads. Pedestrians were also kept in check, and lines were maintained for orderly darshan.
We have taken all the necessary measures to protect devotees and to keep the place from crowding up, they said. Emergency services, medical assistance, and traffic management teams also stayed on standby throughout the day.
The Ashada Fridays are considered very auspicious for devotees of Goddess Chamundeshwari, with lakhs of pilgrims coming every Friday. The third Ashada Friday is traditionally the largest one as devotees pray on this day with a view to prosperity, good health, and divine blessings.
The celebrations at Chamundi Hills are to continue with the same enthusiasm through the rest of Ashada, and the district administration will maintain the same spirit of calm and safety, with police keeping crowd control measures and security in place to ensure peaceful viewing of the religious event.
