Over thousands of devotees from different parts of the State witnessed the Chamarajeshwaraswamy Ratha Yatra at Chamarajanagar town on Tuesday.
The Chamarajeshwaraswamy Ratha Yatra has been famous in this region because of the unique chariot fest held as part of the celebrations during the month of Aashada (July).
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The Ratha Yatra is especially auspicious for newly married couples. The couples engage in the popular tradition of throwing a pair of bananas in the path of the rolling chariot. This time too, the temple premises were teeming with scores of newly married couples, dressed in their finery and waiting for a chance to throw the fruit.
Devotees pulled the decorated chariot amid chants in praise of Lord Chamarajeshwara. The Rathothsava celebration included five other ‘rathas’. One of these was the Jayachamarajendra Odeyar Ratha. The car seva commenced at 10.30 a.m. and went through all the temple routes in the town before it concluded at 1.00 p.m.
The main Chamarajeshwara ratha is 167 years old. It is said that the main ratha was built by Basavaraje Urs of the Urs dynasty who served as a “bhakshi” in palace of Mysore Odeyar in 1835.
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Devotees could be seen purchasing various articles including toys, sweets and other household items.
The district administration has made all the arrangements for the Rathothsava.
Chamarajanagar MLA C. Puttarangashetty, Deputy Commissioner Ramu and taluk tahsildar Mahadevu peformed the puja to Lord Chamarajeshwaraswamy.
Cultural programmes
Many kamsale artists performed at the festival. The cultural programmes were organised in front of the temple in the evening.
Members of various organisations, led by the president of Kannada Sanghatana Okkuta S. Murali, distributed prasadam and juice on account of yatra.