Mysureans mark Makara Sankranthi with traditional fervour, gaiety

Mysureans celebrated Makara Sankranti, the festival of harvest, with traditional and religious fervour on Monday.

Women and children dressed in traditional dress distributed ellu-bella (a
mixture of sesame seeds, fried groundnuts, chopped kopra, roasted gram, and jaggery) to their neighbours, friends and relatives, and exchanged greetings of the festival.

As part of the festival, people offered puja to the cattle and offered fodder to cows, which were bathed and smeared with turmeric. The houses were decked up with mango leaves and a few streets in the city were decked up with rangoli.

Cultural events

Members of several organisations and political parties had organised events as part of the festival. Hindu community people distributed ellu-bella to the people of other communities also.

As part of Makara Sankranthi, District Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP), had organised Sankranti poets' meet, at its office in front of Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple. Poet M B Shankar inaugurated the meet and writers Jayappa Honalli, Anuradha P Samaga, KSP president Dr Y D Rajanna, Sudhakara Hosahalli, K S Nagaraju and others were present.

It is believed that the Sun changes its path from Dakshinayana to Uttarayana and this change marks the celebration of Sankranti. All temples in the city had organised special puja on account of Sankranti festival.

Politicians celebrate

MLA Vasu and corporator P Prasanth Gowda distributed 'ellu bella' to Muslim community people, including children, at Sri Rama Mandira in Devaraja Mohalla in the city. Similarly, J P Abimanigala Balaga members distributed 'ellu bella' and sugar cane to people in front of Kote Anjaneya SwamyTemple here. Sweets were also distributed among the people, who came to offer prayer at Rahmania Arabia Mosque.

BJP leaders had organised 'Sankranti-Sammillana', a programme, at Siddappaji Temple in Ashokapuram. A host of BJP leaders were present at the programme.