Suttur gears up for 6-day Jatra Mahotsava mega fete

Suttur village, located on the banks of the river Kapila, is gearing up for the six-day annual festival (Jatra Mahotsava) of the 11th-century pontiff Sri Shivarathreeshwara. The festival will commence on January 21 and conclude on January 26.

An exhibition, cultural mela, Krishi mela, desi games, boating, rangoli competition, cancer screening camp will be inaugurated at 4 pm on January 21.

Over 150 varieties of crops have been cultivated on one-acre land, for the Krishi Mela. Around 400 stalls have been set up and students from 100 schools will participate and display science models made by them at the exhibition.

The 28th state-level Bhajan mela and mass marriage will be held on January 22. Over 700 teams will participate in the competition, held in seven categories. Mass marriage will commence at 10 am.

Competitions

Rathotsava will be held at 10.30 am on January 23 and religious programmes will commence at 11.15 am. The 52nd cattle fair will be inaugurated at 4 pm. On January 24, a symposium of ‘organic farming and use of water scientifically’, kite flying competition will be held. Quiz competition on the life of Mahatma Gandhi is scheduled on the same day.

Chitra Sante

Chitra Sante will be inaugurated on January 25. Artists from across the state and other states will also take part. National-level wrestling competition will be held from 2 pm. The winner will be awarded with the ‘Suttur Kesari’, ‘Suttur Kumara’ awards.

The valedictory of Bhajan mela, cultural programme and cattle fair will be on the same day.

JSS School students will perform yoga on January 26, at 6.30 am and Republic Day will be celebrated at 8 am. Valedictory of Krishi Mela and exhibition will be at 10.30 am.

Food for all

Around 15 lakh people are expected to participate in the six-day festival. Food will be served for the visitors on all the six days.

The mutt has stored one thousand quintals rice, 250 quintals dal, 200 quintals sugar, 20 tonnes jaggery, 5,000 kg of spices and others. As many as 500 cooks will prepare food for visitors.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, former chief ministers H D Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Ministers J C Madhu Swamy, Govind M Karjol, Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel and others will attend the festival on different days.