Politicians unite to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti

MYSURU: Thousands of devotees, residents and elected representatives took part in a vibrant Hanuman Jayanti procession in Mysuru on Saturday. The event went off peacefully and the police provided security for the event.
It took nearly seven hours for devotees to complete the three-kilometre route. According to police, about 6,000-7,000 people took part in the celebration.
CCTVs were installed to monitor the procession, and police personnel were posted at vantage points. The procession commenced around 11 am and was scheduled to end around 3.30 pm, but it got delayed by two hours, as devotees took a break.
The jayanti had led to violence in the town in early December, and divided politicians on party lines, forcing district authorities to stop the procession. Politicians joined hands during the procession on Saturday, with Congress MLA H P Manjunath, BJP MP Pratap Simha and former MP Adagooru H Vishwanath of the JD(S) participating in the celebrations. Former MP Tejashwini and former ZP chief Pushpalatha Amarnath, who is the KPCC secretary, also took part. Pushpalath joined revelers and danced during the procession.
Earlier, there was an argument over the starting point for the procession, as the organizers were demanding to commence it from Ranganatha Badavane, which is not the usual route. Recently, the district administration, following a petition from organizers, had okayed the route for this year. The procession commenced from Ranganatha Badavane and then passed through Kalkunike Circle, Hotel Shabair Prasad, Hotel Devi Prasad, Old bridge, Rotary Circle, Old Bus Stand and New Bus Stand, after which it culminated at the Manjunatha temple.
Various cultural troupes participated in the procession.