A procession of Pallakki (palanquin) carrying the idol of Sri Mailaralingeshwar for a holy dip in a tank marked the annual fair of Sri Mailaralingeshwar Temple in Mailapur village of Yadgir district on Sunday.
The Pallakki procession is the highlight of the six-day festival that began on January 12. This event is usually organised on the day of Sankranti or Sankramana (Solar ingress).
Nearly two lakh devotees from various parts of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra participated in the procession on Sunday.
Most of these devotees are expected to stay in the village until the festivities come to an end. Therefore, the district administration has made all facilities, including make-shift toilets and bathrooms, available for male and female devotees.
The devotees, who participated with enthusiasm, shouted slogans, including “Elu Kote, Elu Kotige”, and sprinkled Bhandara on the Pallakki.
The idol of Sri Mailaralingeshwar was carried from the temple, which is located on a hillock, to the tank, where the priests took the idol for the holy dip.
After that, the priests of the temple broke the chain as part of an age-old ritual, while devotees sprinkled Bhandara on them, shouting the slogan “Elu Koti, Elu Kotige”.
Meanwhile, it is said that the devotees adhered to the ban order passed by the district administration prohibiting them from hurling live sheep and goats on the Pallakki.
But they handed over the animals that they brought with them to the officials of the Animal Husbandry and Revenue departments at the check-posts. The district administration has set up six check-posts at six entrance points leading to the temple for the purpose.
According to sources in the Animal Husbandry Department, 683 sheep and goats have been seized from devotees who brought them, seeking the blessings of Sri Mailaralingeshwar.
Meanwhile, the seized sheep and goats were auctioned fetching ₹11.26 lakh, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Raju Deshmukh said.
And, the Kalyan Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) arranged for 90 buses from all depots in the Yadgir division to help those travelling for the annual fair.
Apart from that, long-distance buses from places such as Hubballi, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Koppal, Ballari, Raichur and Bidar were also operated.
Taking all precautions, the Police Department has made adequate security arrangements to ensure law and order and the safety of devotees.
“Three Deputy Superintendents of Police, 14 Circle Inspectors, 37 Sub-Inspectors, 71 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, 112 head constables, 253 police constables, 124 women constables, 400 Home Guards, 100 District Armed Force police and two platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police have been deployed for security,” the sources said.
Both Deputy Commissioner B. Susheela and Superintendent of Police G. Sangeetha, who were present there, told The Hindu over phone that no sheep or goats was hurled on the Pallakki and no untoward incident was reported during the fair.
