Mysuru: The first Ashadha Friday at the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hills on Friday, witnessed an overwhelming influx of devotees, with thousands thronging the hill shrine from the early hours to seek the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari.Amid the massive rush, Mysuru district minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah drew attention by choosing not to take the darshan, after arriving at the temple beyond the stipulated 10 am time. He said since the VIP darshan time was over, he would not visit the temple. The minister travelled to Chamundi Hills by a KSRTC bus but refrained from seeking any special privilege after reaching the temple late.Addressing reporters, he said, “It is not right for those of us who frame the rules to violate them ourselves. Doing so would inconvenience the general public. Since I reached the temple after the prescribed time, I chose not to have darshan.” He urged all elected representatives and dignitaries to visit the temple within the permitted VIP timings to ensure ordinary devotees are not inconvenienced.The district administration had restricted VIP darshan to 5.30am to 10am as part of crowd-management measures during the Ashadha festivities. Recommendation letters and special passes were not entertained, allowing uninterrupted darshan for the general public throughout the day.The presiding deity was adorned in the traditional Lakshmi Alankara, while the temple was decorated with vibrant floral arrangements. Special rituals, including Panchamrutha Abhisheka and Kumkumarchana, were performed amid Vedic chanting. Devotees offered prayers for timely rainfall, prosperity and welfare of the state. The temple’s chief priest Shashishekara Dixit said the Lakshmi Alankara would continue on all four Fridays of the Ashadha month, one of the most sacred periods for the worship of Goddess Chamundeshwari.Extensive arrangements were made by the district administration to manage the heavy rush. A dedicated control room monitored the movement of devotees, while drinking water, mobile toilets, sanitation facilities, medical aid and systematic queue management were provided. To reduce congestion, private vehicles were barred from entering Chamundi Hills. KSRTC operated free shuttle buses from the temporary bus stand at the Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds at the foothills, and only authorised vehicles with official duty passes were permitted uphill. A large contingent of police personnel was deployed to regulate traffic and maintain law and order.Despite the elaborate arrangements, some devotees who had purchased Rs 2,000 special darshan tickets expressed dissatisfaction over the bus boarding arrangements, alleging that free-darshan devotees were able to board buses more easily, thereby diminishing the benefit of purchasing premium tickets.Usha Shivakumar, wife of chief minister DK Shivakumar, visited the temple and offered a silk saree to Goddess Chamundeshwari after her husband became the chief minister. The saree was later adorned on the presiding deity. Vijayalakshmi, wife of actor Darshan, accompanied by his nephew Chandan, also visited the temple and offered special prayers, seeking blessings of the Goddess for the family.
