Melukote: The temple town is all decked up for the annual ‘Vairamudi Utsava’ which will be held from tomorrow at historic Sri Cheluvanarayanaswamy Temple in Melukote of Pandavapura taluk in Mandya district here.

The District Administration and temple authorities have made all preparations for Sri Vairamudi Kireetadharana Mahotsava of Sri Cheluvanarayanaswamy as part of the ‘Vairamudi Brahmotsava.’

A large number of devotees will flock the temple town to witness this religious event of adorning the ‘diamond-studded Vairamudi’ to Lord Cheluvanarayanaswamy  on Sunday night on auspicious Ekadashi day this year. Over two lakh devotees are expected to take part on this day coinciding with public holiday this year.

Then, along with the idol of Cheluvanarayanaswamy, the idols of Goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi Kalyananayaki will also be taken in a procession through the main streets of Melukote.

The Vairamudi Utsava, which  is expected to begin from 8 pm on Sunday, will conclude at 3.30 am on Monday. The temple authorities will return the ‘Vairamudi’ on Monday to the District Treasury, while they would retain ‘Rajamudi’ and other ornaments for some more days to perform other pujas.

According to the temple authorities, several thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the country, mostly from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, have already landed in Melukote to witness the annual event. All the lodges and the private choultries in the town have been booked and the main streets and the Rajagopura are illuminated during the ten-day festival. CCTV cameras have been installed at vantage points and security is beefed up. Cultural programmes will be held in the evening till Mar.24.

Before this, a host of temple priests and the authorities of Sri Cheluvanarayanaswamy Temple Trust will receive the sealed boxes containing 14 gold ornaments at the Mandya District Treasury to conduct the Utsava on Sunday morning.

The ornaments include diamond-studded ‘Vairamudi’, ‘Rajamudi’ and ‘Gandabherunda.’

Special pujas will be performed to the boxes at Sri Lakshmi Janardhana Swamy Temple here before taking to Melkote under tight Police security.