JOIN USDevotees made a beeline to the town to pay their obeisance to Lord Shiva at all the five temples of the Panchalinga Darshana, here, on Monday.
Though a sizeable number of devotees arrived from different parts of the State and outside, the crowd was relatively lesser when compared to previous years. The district administration had succeeded in making proper arrangements to facilitate people who offered prayers at the different temples.
Priest N Krishnamurthy said that Panchalinga Darshana usually attracted large and unmanageable crowds, but the rush had considerably declined this year. “Though the authorities have made adequate arrangements, there has not been enough publicity for the event. On the first day of the Darshana, the crowd would usually exceed three lakhs. Today there will be less than one lakh visitors,” he added.
The rituals of the ceremony has started from November 28 with ‘Ankurarpana’ ritual along with ‘yaga shaala pravesha’ of the chief priests, Krishna Dikshit and Krishnamurthy. They will have to stay in the yaga shaala till December 7, performing various pujas and yaagas. ‘Dwajarohana’ and ‘Kankana Dhanarane’ was conducted on November 29;
‘Pushpamantapotsava’ on November 30 and ‘Basavana Vahana’ on December 1. The Darshana on Monday started with pujas by several priests, who earlier (5 am) took a dip in the Gokarna Suvarna kalyani after which ‘Ganapathi puja’, ‘Rudrabhisheka’, ‘Panchamruthabhisheka’, ‘Ashtavahana Seve’ and several other rituals were conducted at 7.20 am, considered to be an auspicious time.
Priest Anand Dikshit said that for the first time in 120 years, the Panchalinga Darshana has been witnessed for third time in span of six years. This was also the first time that the festivity was being held after a four year period, as it was always held during odd years like, three, five, seven, and13 years.
He said that at least one of the three ‘nakshatras’ -- Anuradha, Jeshta or Vishakha, has to coincide with the last day of ‘Karthika Masa’ with five Mondays. The last day should also be a new moon day. This year, the day was very auspicious with two nakshatras, Anuradha and Vishakha coinciding.
The Darshana will be held at five temples namely, Vaidyanatheshwara Swamy temple, Pathaleshwara temple, Maruleshwara temple, Arkeshwara temple and Mudukuthore Mallikarjuneshwara temple, apart from the other temples in the town like 101 Shivalinga Temple, Chowdeshwari Temple and Alamelamma Temple across the River Cauvery. People took bath in River Cauvery before entering the first temple Vaidyanatheshwara Swamy Temple. According to authorities, some people stood in the queue from Sunday midnight itself.
Private vehicles were restricted in the circuit route with only KSRTC buses plying between the temples to prevent traffic congestion.
God in sand
Women were seen making Shivalinga models out of sand on the bank of River Cauvery and offering puja. While some made one model, others created five, to which they offered puja before heading towards the temples. The town will be the attraction of religious fervour till Saturday night, with various pujas to be performed every day.