Mysuru: Yaduveer leads rathotsava atop Chamundi Hills

MYSURU: Dasara might have concluded but the festivities continue in Mysuru. The city hosted Chamundeshwari car festival atop Chamundi Hills, attracting thousands of devotees to the hill shrine on Sunday.
The Mysuru royal family, led by Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, offered special puja. He led the rathotsava by symbolically pulling the chariot.The Mysuru royal family launched the car festival after one year as it appointed the successor to the Wadiyar dynasty in May. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar was also present.
Yaduveer and Pramoda Devi reached Sri Chamundeshwari temple before dawn and offered special puja to the goddess, which is also their family deity. Special pujas, under the headship of chief priest Shashishekar Dixit, started at 4am.
The rathotsava started with Teradi Utsav and Mantapotsava when Yaduveer offered puja to the goddess. At 7.10am, the chariot was pulled by the devotees. It took 50 minutes for them to take the chariot around the temple.
During the car festival, the city police presented gun salute to the goddess. The police band, too, performed at the festival.
The extended holiday season saw devotees visiting the hill shrine through the day. Officials said that the KSRTC pressed into service 50 additional buses to the hills during the day. There were traffic blockages as hundreds of vehicles made their way up to the religious centre. Police had beefed up security for the day.