Bangaloreans celebrated San kranti, the festival of harvest, with a festive bash and devotional spirit. From early morning poojas including offerings of yellu-bella to deities and go-matas before distributing it among the family members, visiting temples and relatives’ houses, to the rural style cows’ fair and ‘kicchu’ - Bangalore saw it all.
Most temples in the City hosted special poojas on the occasion of Makara Sankranti, the day when the Sun (Lord Surya) is said to change his path. At Gavigangadhareshwara temple in Gavipuram, it was an ocean of devotees.
As many as 10,000 people from different parts of the City, as well as other cities, offered prayers and special poojas at the temple.
Gurusiddappa, a polio affected 59-year-old had come all the way from Basaveshwaranagar to offer his prayers, along with wife Uma. It’s an annual practice for him to visit this historical temple, since 28 years. Even former prime minister H D Deve Gowda along with his family members visited the temple.
At this temple, every year on the evening of Sankranti festival, Sun rays fall on the deity Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara’s idol, passing in midst of two horns of stone Basavanna located in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Similar phenomenon was recorded on this Sankranti. The temple’s Utsava Samithi had organised its live telecast through wide monitors placed outside the temple for viewing by the huge gathering.
Market areas were still busy catering to purchasers of sugarcane, banana, and also ready yellu-bella mixtures and sakkare acchus. Celebrations in the City also had a rural touch. Sree Nandi Kannada Seva Samithi of Srinagar and Sri Krishna Goshala Trust of Rajajinagar were among the many who offered customary poojas to cows.
Cows’ procession and ‘Kicchu’ - a ceremony in which cows are made to jump the fire were also held.
At Malleshwaram grounds, huge gathering witnessed a traditional Sankranti celebration, titled as ‘Sankranti Go Utsava.’ Cowboys brought in their cows glamourously decorated for an attractive procession, also involving folk artists’ performance. While a few most impressive cows won prizes for their owners, Go Veda Pratishtana, gifted a saree to every participating cow. Kicchu ceremony enthralled the gathering as the night arrived.
Some temples and religious institutions also hosted ‘Annadana.’
