A large number of devotees from several States converged on Kadiri to witness the annual Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Rathotsavam (locally known as Theru) on Wednesday.
The festival passed off without incident. The Rathotsavam took a couple of hours longer to conclude this year, ending at 3.54 p.m. on Wednesday instead of ending by the usual time of 1 p.m. Cries of Jaya Simha Jaya Simha and Govinda Govinda echoed across the town as thousands of devotees shouted slogans from the beginning of the festival through to the end.
The processional deities of Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, along with Sridevi and Bhudevi, were taken out at the appointed hour at 8.40 a.m. amid a festive atmosphere with an estimated two lakh people witnessing the proceedings from all possible vantage points in the town. While many devotees vied with each other to pull the ropes of the chariot, many others watched on from rooftops all along the route of the Rathotsavam. Veda Pundits performed Radhaarohana before the chariot began its journey at 8.45 a.m.
The only untoward incident was the snapping of a rope of the Theru on the left side of the chariot when it reached the Gandi Madugu Anjaneyaswamy temple, which delayed the Rathotsavam for some time. Devotees drew the chariot holding the heavy ropes specially made for drawing the chariot through the mada streets as bystanders sprinkled pepper and ‘davanam’ on the colourfully decorated chariot.
Returning after COVID
People, who had refrained from attending the Brahmotsavams and the Rathotsavam on the concluding day of the festival for the past two years in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic, made it a point to be present on the occasion and take the blessings of the Lord this year. “I never missed the event for 18 years, but could not venture out for the last two years due to the pandemic,” said Mallela Kullayyappa, who works in a private firm at Bengaluru. He had come along with all his family members to witness the festival.
A heavy police force led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhavya Kishore ably maintained law and order and controlled traffic on the outskirts of the town. Power supply was switched off till 4 p.m. along the entire route of the Rathotsavam in order to avoid a mishap.
