2022’s first Ashada Friday tomorrow

• No private vehicles allowed on Chamundi Hill; Parking lot created at Lalitha Mahal Helipad
• Free bus facility from Helipad to Hill temple; Restrictions on July 1, 8, 15, 20 and 22

Mysore/Mysuru: This year’s first Ashada Friday, an auspicious day in the Ashada month for Hindus begins tomorrow, July 1 and along with thousands of devotees who are poised to visit the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill, the District Administration is also geared up to provide facilities.

Along with the Chamundeshwari Temple, the Temples of Goddesses all over Mysuru are expected to see an extra rush on all Ashada Fridays as the devotees missed a chance to see their favourite deity in the 2020 and 2021 Ashada months due to the COVID pandemic.

This year, the Ashada Fridays fall on July 1, 8, 15 and 22 and in between, the Chamundeshwari Vardhanti (birthday of the Goddess) will be celebrated on July 20. The arrangements and restrictions will be in place on all these days.

Elaborate arrangements have been made at the Lalitha Mahal Helipad Grounds from where over 50 free KSRTC buses will start. Devotees have to park their vehicles on an 18-acre land and a stringent queue system will be followed while boarding the buses. Line barricades have been erected to facilitate this.

Giant pandals have been erected to protect the devotees from rain and the entire land has been levelled and the bushes have been cleared. Mobile toilets, emergency medical care, drinking water and streetlights facilities have been provided.

A dedicated fleet of 50 KSRTC buses has been provided and each bus can carry 50 devotees. This apart, the City Bus Stand will have regular trips to Chamundi Hill and this service will not be free. The free bus facility from the helipad will be available from 3 am to 10 pm on all Ashada Fridays and on Chamundeshwari Vardhanti from 7 am.

Two doses of vaccination is a must to enter the Temple and health workers have been asked to check the vaccination certificate besides the RT-PCR negative reports, not less than 72 hours. Over 20 to 30 teams including health workers will review the devotees at various counters. Physical vaccination certificates or online certificates can be shown at the  counters.

Restrictions by Police

• Movement of vehicles (except KSRTC buses) on all Ashada Fridays and on Chamundeshwari Vardhanti day via Thavarekatte, Uttanahalli Road and IVAC Road to the Hill is banned.
• Parking is allowed at Lalitha Mahal Helipad grounds. Devotees coming from Lalithadripura Road should reach the grounds and park at a designated spot.
• Devotees from Uttanahalli Road should travel via Nanjangud Road-M.L. Somasundaram Circle-Maharana Pratap Singh Circle and Sangolli Rayanna Circle to reach Helipad Grounds to park vehicles.
• The KSRTC buses will travel to the Hill via Lalithadripura Road and IVAC Road and park at the KSRTC Bus Stand.
• While descending from the Hill, buses will ply via Chamundi Hill Road to reach Sangolli Rayanna Circle and take a right turn to reach Lalitha Mahal Helipad Grounds.
• Buses from City Bus Stand will travel via Sangolli Rayanna Circle-Lalitha Mahal Helipad Grounds, Lalithadripura Road and IVAC Road.
• Vehicles carrying Prasadam should be parked at the parking space opposite bus stand atop Chamundi Hill. Only those vehicles which have been issued passes by the District Administration will be allowed.
• Prasadam should be distributed only during the allotted time and those vehicles arriving early or late will not be allowed.
• Only protocol vehicles, media vehicles and vehicles deputed on duty will be allowed to the top of the Hill and these vehicles should be parked at the multi-level parking lot. No vehicles will be allowed near the Temple.
• Movement of all types of vehicles is banned on the previous night of Ashada Fridays and Chamundeshwari Vardhanti.
• Residents atop Chamundi Hill will have to get passes for their vehicles from Chamundi Hill Gram Panchayat office by producing DL and other vehicle records.
• Government vehicles and Police vehicles arriving atop the Hill for bandobast duties should be parked near Devikere.
• Devotees climbing the Hill through the steps should park at the parking grounds in front of Pinjrapole.