The annual Vairamudi Kireetadharana Mahotsava of Cheluvanarayana Swamy was held amid a large gathering, at the historical village of Melkote near Pandavapura in the district.
The grand procession, called the ‘Vairamudi Kireetadharana Padiyatta’ of Cheluvanarayana Swamy, began on Wednesday evening and went on till early Thursday morning. At least two lakh devotees from across the country witnessed it. The utsav activities began at 7.30 a.m. here on Wednesday with the district administration handing over the diamond-studded crown ‘Vairamudi’, ‘Rajamudi’, ‘Gandabherunda’ and other ornaments, in sealed boxes, to the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple Trust.
Police escort
S. Ziyaullah, Deputy Commissioner, C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Assistant Commissioners of Revenue Arul Kumar (Mandya subdivision) and Yashodha (Pandavapura subdivision), and other officials were present. The boxes were brought to Melkote with a police escort. Special pujas were performed to the boxes at many temples in Mandya and at other villages enroute Melkote. They were opened and ornaments were placed on the deity under the supervision of the Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple priests.
‘Vairamudi’ adorned idols of Cheluvanarayana Swamy, the presiding deity, and idols of goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi Kalyananayaki were the cynosure of all eyes. They were taken out in a procession. The route of the procession was decorated with ‘rangoli’, flowers, mango leaves and banana plants, and illuminated with colourful lights.
Vairamudi Utsav is a part of the 13-day Vairamudi Brahmotsava. It is an important festival held at the four major ‘Vaishnavite Divyakshetras’. Others are the ‘Brahmotsava’ in Tirupati, the ‘Garudotsava’ in Kancheepuram and the ‘Kotharotsava’ in Srirangam.
The utsav is named after the ‘Vairamudi’ crown that was donated to Cheluvanarayana Swamy by the royal family of Mysore.
