Karnataka celebrates Ugadi with fervour

BENGALURU: People of the state marked the start of the Hindu New Year with the Ugadi festival which was celebrated with much fervour across the state. Special prayers were organised at many important temples in different places.

Devotees thronged the Kadu Malleshwara temple in Malleswaram on Ugadi festival.

In Bengaluru, special pujas were conducted at the historical Kadu Malleshwara temple in Malleswaram right from 6 am including Rudrabhisheka, Panchamrita abhisheka and other rituals as long queues of devotees crowded the temple. In the evening too, there will be special pujas including for the new almanac of the new Samvatsara.

Devotees at the Kadu Malleshwara temple.

“We regularly visit the temple. This year, Ugadi celebrations are special since we had not come here for the last two years on Ugadi day. It feels nice to have darshan on this day. We will make obbattu and other items for food”, said Suma, a devotee.

Suma, a devotee at the temple, said it felt special to visit the temple on the festival day.

Similar scenes were witnessed at major temples across the state with devotees pouring in right from the morning.

At the KR Market in Bengaluru, there was a rush of buyers looking for Ugadi essentials including flowers, fruits, neem leaves and other puja material. The rush of people led to a traffic jam in the morning hours.

The KR Market witnessed heavy rush.

In the melee, a traffic constable and an autorickshaw driver also indulged in some pushing and shoving leading to the auto driver sustaining some injuries on his hand.