Chamundeshwari Vardhanti celebrated with grandeur

Mysuru: The pilgrimage site of Chamundi Hills came alive with devotion and grandeur as thousands of devotees gathered to celebrate the Chamundeshwari Vardhanti.Festivities commenced in the early hours of Thursday, with elaborate rituals beginning at 4am. Traditional Panchamrita Abhisheka — a ritual bath with five auspicious ingredients — and a Rudrabhisheka, an offering invoking Lord Shiva, were performed. The deity was then resplendently adorned with fresh flowers, and rituals such as Kumkumarchane (vermilion offering) and Sahasranamarchane (chanting of a thousand divine names) were performed with devotion. In a spectacular highlight, the festival idol was placed in a silver palanquin and taken around the temple in a ceremonial procession. This was followed by another majestic procession with the idol placed in a golden palanquin at the entrance of the temple, accompanied by the Mysuru police band, traditional music ensembles, vibrant umbrellas, and ceremonial fans (chamaras), embodying the royal heritage of Mysuru.Given the significance of the festival and the expected influx of devotees from across Karnataka, the district administration ensured seamless arrangements. Enhanced security measures were implemented, including the deployment of additional police forces. To manage the heavy footfall, access to Chamundi Hills was restricted to private vehicles, and free bus services were operated from the Lalith Mahal helipad to ferry devotees to the temple.The ceremonial pujas and rituals were led by chief priest Shashishekar Dixit. Members of the Mysuru royal family, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, Yaduveer Wadiyar, and Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar, participated in the rituals. Speaking on the occasion, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar and Yaduveer Wadiyar extended Chamundeshwari Vardhanti greetings to devotees, expressing hope that the blessings of the Goddess would bring prosperity and good harvests to the region. Though heavy rain has lashed the region, we pray for balanced rains and abundant crops in the days ahead, they stated.Celebrations extended beyond Chamundi Hills, with temples and households across Mysuru performing special pujas in honour of the Goddess. Prasadam (blessed food) was generously distributed, further adding to the spirit of devotion and community.