A large number of devotees thronged Chamundi Hills here on Sunday to witness the Sri Chamundeshwari Rathotsava (chariot festival).
The hilltop has been brimming with devotees and tourists for the Dasara festivities, which concluded on October 8. Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, head of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family, pulled the decorated “ratha” (chariot) on Sunday morning around 6.45 a.m. to begin the rathotsava. G.T. Deve Gowda, MLA, temple priests, and Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath were present. The chariot was taken around the temple complex even as the devotees threw plantains at the chariot.
Prior to the launch of rathotsava, the royal family members offered special prayers at the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Chamundeshwari Temple.
Chief oriest Shashishekar Dikshit performed the puja rituals and placed the “utsav murthi” into the chariot.
The “teppotsava” (boat festival) atop the hills at Devikere will take place on October 15.
