Lakshadeepotsava concludes in Dharmasthala; Lord Manjunatha dazzles in silver chariot

Team Udayavani, Dec 2, 2024, 8:41 AM IST

Belthangady: The five-day-long Lakshadeepotsava celebrations at Dharmasthala concluded on Sunday, December 1. Lord Manjunatha Swami’s procession in the adorned silver chariot was the highlight, leaving devotees spellbound.

The festivities began with a special pooja to Lord Manjunatha Swami in the temple’s inner sanctum. Following 16 pradakshinas inside the temple, the utsava murthy was ceremoniously brought to the outer premises.

Seated on the silver chariot, the deity was taken around the temple for one round of procession amidst chants and cheers from devotees. The chariot was then pulled to the Gauri Market area, where various rituals and services were performed.

The deity was later brought to the temple’s main entrance for another pradakshina before returning to the sanctum sanctorum, marking the end of the Kartika month’s Lakshadeepotsava celebrations.

Massive Devotee Turnout

An estimated 2–3 lakh devotees participated on the final day. Since the temple’s annachatra was closed at night, over 23 teams distributed food to more than 2 lakh people in the nearby fields. The temple also provided over 130 buses and conducted 800+ trips for free transportation from the Dharmasthala depot.