Hasanamba temple opens doors to devotees

HASSAN: The sacred shrine of Hasanamba Temple in Hassan opened its doors to devotees on Thursday. The temple’s doors were opened by Mysuru royal family descendant Nanjaraja Urs, who cut the ceremonial banana stem, marking the beginning of the annual festival.

Adichunchanagiri Math seer Dr Sri Nirmalananda Swamiji, District In-charge Minister Krishna Byregowda and MLAs, attended the event.

The Siddeshwara Jathra Mahotsav festival, which began on Thursday, will continue for two weeks, allowing devotees to seek the blessings of the goddess Hasanamba, who is believed to grant wishes to her devotees once a year. The temple will be open from 6 am to 7 pm, and special arrangements have been made for the convenience of devotees, including cultural programmes and a helicopter tour as part of helitourism.

However, the first day of the festival witnessee some controversy, with Aam Aadmi Party workers protesting against the alleged neglect of local residents in the darshan arrangements. They demanded that locals be given priority in the darshan process.

Minister Krishna Byregowda assured that the district administration will ensure that the festival is conducted smoothly and that the devotees’ experiences are pleasant. He also mentioned that he had provided funds for ticket purchases for devotees from his constituency.