Devotees celebrate Aashada Friday at Chamundi amid long queues
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Mysuru: The spiritual essence of the Hindu month of Aashada gripped Mysuru on Friday as thousands of devotees ascended the Chamundi Hills to observe the first Aashada Shukravara (Friday during the month of Aashada) with devotion and reverence at Sri Chamundeshwari Temple.
Undeterred by light showers and a chilly breeze, devotees began gathering as early as 2.30 am at the hill shrine, climbing the hills to seek the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari. The temple premises were adorned with vibrant floral arrangements, green festoons, and illuminated lamps, creating a serene and divine atmosphere. The day commenced with Panchamruta Abhisheka and 'archane', followed by the goddess being beautifully decorated in the 'Mahalakshmi Alankara'.
Compared to previous years, the footfall witnessed a significant surge, prompting the district administration to implement robust security and crowd control measures, especially in the wake of deaths in a stampede incident at Chinnaswamy Stadium last month.
As per tradition, private vehicles were barred from accessing the hills. To facilitate smooth travel, KSRTC operated free shuttle services from Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds to the hilltop.
Special darshan tickets priced at Rs 300 and Rs 2,000 were made available for devotees at the Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds. The premium Rs 2,000 ticket included air-conditioned transport, quick access for darshan, and a prasadam kit, including a Chamundeshwari idol, laddu, bottled water, and a souvenir bag.
Despite meticulous planning, the sheer volume of devotees posed challenges for the police and support staff.
Even the special darshan lines saw heavy crowds throughout the day. Some of the devotees who planned to go for general darshan, after seeing the sea of devotees, opted for the special entrance for Rs 300 and even Rs 2,000. People not only from across the district, but also from various districts across the state and from various other states visited the temple.
Deputy commissioner of police (law & order) M Mutturaj said, "Compared to last year, the number of devotees was considerably higher.
However, we managed to provide facilities. At any given time, the crowd ranged between 15,000 and 20,000."
Among the prominent personalities who visited the temple on the first Aashada were former minister Revanna and actor Shruthi.
No badam milk and dry fruits after special darshan: Devotee
Santosh, who came from Shivamogga, said, "Though the authorities mentioned that the devotees would be given badam milk and dry fruits for those opting for special darshan, they failed to keep their word.
There was no proper drinking water facility."
Satish, who came from Bengaluru, said, "Even after giving Rs 2,000, we had to wait for nearly 2 hours. But still, compared to last year, there were some changes, like a separate queue for Dharma Darshana, a separate line for Rs 300, and a separate line for Rs 2,000."
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