JOIN USAlmost the whole district’s population seemed to have participated at the Subramanyeshwaraswamy Jatra Mahotsava in Chitravathi on the outskirts of Chikkaballapur on Sunday.
The crowd was so dense that it was impossible to walk from one end of the fair to the other. There were devotees, businessmen, small shops, food and beverages at the fair.
While children rode the toy train and the giant wheel, women bought bangles of all colours. People ate puffed rice and Chakkali. Fathers with kids on their shoulders showed them the brimming kalyani, while mothers were happy to feed a treat or two to their kids.
All these sights were this year’s Subramanyeshwaraswamy Jatra Mahotsava. The annual fair this year was more special than the previous years. The empty and trashed kalyani at the temple was brimming with clean water. The water too was used minimally and the tank was filled up only to the required level. Necessary facilities were made for the ritualistic offerings.
It was often said that the villages too were becoming more globalised and that people would not participate in huge numbers at such fairs and utsavs. But the crowd this year at the Utsav disproved it all. For the past five days the Rasu Jatra has been held at four to five different locations and this time the response has been really good, Shivanarasimhappa told Deccan Herald.
Every year two sumps would be set up for the fair. But that much water would not be enough. This year these sumps were removed and the well was filled up with all the necessary water for the fair. The devotees were told to use the water minimally to wash their hands and feet before entering the temple, said the Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Girijashankar.
The fair started from January 23. A Rudrabhisheka was conducted everyday after which other rituals were carried out. At noon from 12 pm to 1 pm the Brahmarathotsava was held. The fair will continue till January 29, said Subramanyeshwaraswamy temple priest.
Legislator Dr K Sudhakar, Taluk Panchayat members Venkatanarayanappa, Krishnamurthy and others took part in the fair.