Mysuru, Dec. 9 (MTY&BNR)- For the second year straight, the famed Sri Subramanyeshwara Swamy Temple at Siddalingapura on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway remained out of reach for devotees on the day of Subra-manya Shashti today due to COVID restrictions in place.

Though the District Admini-stration had issued orders banning entry of devotees to the Temple, those unaware of the restrictions had come from far off places to offer pujas.

Devotees, however, offered prayers and pujas from a distance outside the temple. Around 500 mts stretch of road works (10-lane) near the Temple has come to a halt for sometime now and with that, people found some space near the Temple in the middle of the Highway to offer puja and also for vendors to sell puja items and other articles.

This year, there was no traffic diversions but Metagalli Police were deployed to make sure that devotees do not enter the temple. As main Temple was closed for devotees and not many anthills were found close to the temple, many people were seen offering prayers to the anthills close to Naganahalli-Melapura Road.

Called ‘Skanda Shashti’ by priests, Subramanya Shashti is a major festival in the Margashira Maasa dedicated to Lord Subramanya. As part of the festival, various puja rituals, led by Temple Chief Priest M.V. Subramanya began at the Temple as early as 3 am today that included Rudrabhisheka, Sahasranamarchane, Ashtavadhana, Mahanyasa-purvaka Rudrabhisheka to the idol of Lord Subramanyeswaraswamy in the sanctum sanctorum.

The silver Nagabharana that has a snake figure with seven heads, donated to the Temple in 1973 by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar following the birth of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, which is displayed only once in a year during Subramanya Shashti at Siddalingapura, adorned the 6-ft anthill in the Temple.

The usual Rathotsava held from the Temple to Siddalingapura during the Shasti was also cancelled like last year and instead Prakarotsava was held inside the Temple. There is also Poll Code of Conduct due to upcoming MLC polls that bans holding of fairs and processions.

Apart from this, people were seen offering pujas at Ashwathakatte, Amruteshwara Temple on Dewan’s Road, Banni Mahakaleshwari Temple in Kurubaralli, 101 Ganapati Temple in Agrahara, Bandantamma Temple in K.G. Koppal, Kadu Malleshwara Temple near DC’s office, Yeraganahalli, Saraswathipuram, Siddarthanagar and various other areas across Mysuru.