The occasion witnessed a sharp decline in the number of devotees due to Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections, severe cold and rains.
Police personnel guarding the visitors near Kiamara checkpost said 6,000 devotees continued to arrive at Datta Peeta till 2 pm.
Darshan of Paduke
With the temporary renovation work of the cave complete, the State government permitted the entry of devotees into the cave after a gap of two years for a ‘darshan’ of the Datta Paduke. Most of the devotees were from the coastals town of the State including Mangalore, Udupi, Karkala, Belthangadi and Dharmastala. With the heavy winds blowing away the sheets on the temporary sheds erected on the right side of the Peeta, the members of the Sangha Parivar struggled to perform poojas.
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