<p>Nanjangud (Mysuru): Defying a light drizzle, a sea of devotees gathered at the temple town of Nanjangud, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mysuru">Mysuru </a>district, on Monday morning to witness the historic ‘Sri Srikanteshwara Swamy Gautama Pancha Maha Rathotsava’.</p><p>The journey of the chariot of Lord Srikanteshwara at Nanjangud, popularly known as the 'Dakshina Kashi', began at 6:34 am, amid thunderous slogans and religious fervour.</p><p>The 'Ratha Beedi' (chariot road) was packed with pilgrims, who pulled the massive ropes of the chariot to fulfill their vows. As the 90-foot tall 'Gautama Ratha' moved forward, devotees offered fruits and flowers, chanting ‘Bandanappa bandanu Nanjundappa Bandanu’ (Our Lord Nanjunda has arrived).</p>.Mysuru cracks down on flex menace amid rising environmental concerns.<p><strong>Flag-off</strong></p><p>The religious proceedings began early at 6 am with the Ratharohana (placing of the idol on the chariot). The Uthsava Murthy (procession idol) of Sri Srikanteshwara Swamy was brought from the temple in a pallakki (palanquin) to be placed in the chariot. Nanjangud MLA Darshan Dhruvanarayan performed the traditional ritual of breaking a coconut at the chariot's wheel, while Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy signaled the start of the procession by waving a green flag. The air was filled with the rhythmic beat of the Nagari (drums) as the wheels began to roll.</p><p><strong>Specifications</strong></p><p>The main attraction, the Gautama Ratha, weighs 110 tonnes and stands 90 feet high. It was accompanied by four other chariots dedicated to Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanya, and Lord Chandikeshwara. All five chariots were colorfully decorated with flags and drapes, as they traversed the 1.5 km long stretch of the Ratha Beedi around the temple.</p><p><strong>Safety</strong></p><p>To manage the movement of the massive wooden structure, two 100-metre-long ropes were pulled by hundreds of devotees. A specialised team in yellow uniforms coordinated the chariot’s movement using signal flags — green to pull and red to stop. For safety and mechanical assistance, earthmovers, cranes, and ambulances followed the procession to ensure that no untoward incident occurred during the mega event.</p>
<p>Nanjangud (Mysuru): Defying a light drizzle, a sea of devotees gathered at the temple town of Nanjangud, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/mysuru">Mysuru </a>district, on Monday morning to witness the historic ‘Sri Srikanteshwara Swamy Gautama Pancha Maha Rathotsava’.</p><p>The journey of the chariot of Lord Srikanteshwara at Nanjangud, popularly known as the 'Dakshina Kashi', began at 6:34 am, amid thunderous slogans and religious fervour.</p><p>The 'Ratha Beedi' (chariot road) was packed with pilgrims, who pulled the massive ropes of the chariot to fulfill their vows. As the 90-foot tall 'Gautama Ratha' moved forward, devotees offered fruits and flowers, chanting ‘Bandanappa bandanu Nanjundappa Bandanu’ (Our Lord Nanjunda has arrived).</p>.Mysuru cracks down on flex menace amid rising environmental concerns.<p><strong>Flag-off</strong></p><p>The religious proceedings began early at 6 am with the Ratharohana (placing of the idol on the chariot). The Uthsava Murthy (procession idol) of Sri Srikanteshwara Swamy was brought from the temple in a pallakki (palanquin) to be placed in the chariot. Nanjangud MLA Darshan Dhruvanarayan performed the traditional ritual of breaking a coconut at the chariot's wheel, while Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy signaled the start of the procession by waving a green flag. The air was filled with the rhythmic beat of the Nagari (drums) as the wheels began to roll.</p><p><strong>Specifications</strong></p><p>The main attraction, the Gautama Ratha, weighs 110 tonnes and stands 90 feet high. It was accompanied by four other chariots dedicated to Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Lord Subramanya, and Lord Chandikeshwara. All five chariots were colorfully decorated with flags and drapes, as they traversed the 1.5 km long stretch of the Ratha Beedi around the temple.</p><p><strong>Safety</strong></p><p>To manage the movement of the massive wooden structure, two 100-metre-long ropes were pulled by hundreds of devotees. A specialised team in yellow uniforms coordinated the chariot’s movement using signal flags — green to pull and red to stop. For safety and mechanical assistance, earthmovers, cranes, and ambulances followed the procession to ensure that no untoward incident occurred during the mega event.</p>