Mysuru/Mysore: After partying hard all night at various watering holes in city, devotees thronged temples across the city from the early hours on the first day of the New Year (first day of the Decade) to offer prayers. Sanctum sanctorum of temples was opened as early as 5 am to enable the public to have darshan.

Special Abhishekas were performed to the presiding deities and thousands of devotees  waited in long queues to have darshan since early morning. Long queues were also spotted in front of Churches. Masses were organised at many Churches where devotees prayed for a better year.

The Police who managed the New Year Eve crowds hardly had time to heave a sigh of relief as the celebrations passed off peacefully without any untoward incident except for minor scratches on vehicles due to accidents during revelry. Day one of the New Year turned out to be another stressful day at work for the city’s Police wing as they had to regulate the milling crowds at Temples.

At Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill, more than 15,000 devotees visited till 11.30 am. Visitors included locals, tourists and schoolchildren. Many tourists and schoolchildren, who had come from outstation destinations and who had planned their schedules, had to return from the Hill without having a darshan of the Goddess as the queue was long. 

Similar scenes were witnessed at Tripurasundari Jwalamukhi Devi Temple at Uthanahalli where special pujas were conducted. Special homas and havans were performed at Amrutheswara Temple to ward off evil and any unforeseen misfortunes.

Thousands of devotees queued up at Yoganarasimhaswamy Temple at Vijayanagar braving cold. Special pujas began at the crack of dawn. Temple authorities distributed 2 lakh laddus to devotees specially prepared on the occasion. As many as 60 persons were designated to distribute laddus and prasadam. 

Sri Lakshmivenkataramanaswamy Temple at Vontikoppal, Chandramouleshwara Temple near  Mathrumandali Circle, Raghavendraswamy Temple at Jayalakshmipuram, Durgammadevi Temple near Ittigegud, 101 Ganapathy Temple at Agrahara, Ganapathi Temples at Paduvarahalli,  Gokulam Aralimara and High-Tension Road in Vijayanagar, Chamundeshwari Temple at Surya Bakery Circle in Mahadeshwara Layout and Annapoorneshwari Temple at Hebbal also witnessed huge rush.   

Devotees also thronged Lord Srikanteshwara Temple in Nanjangud, Sriranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangapatna, Anjaneyaswamy and Ganapathi Temples near Mysore Palace North Gate, Trinayaneshwara Temple inside Palace campus, Nazarbad Mahadeshwara Temple, Kurubarahalli Bannimahakali Temple, Bandanthamma Temple in Kuvempunagar and Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama.