Nanjangud: The temple town of Nanjangud in Mysuru district, popularly known as ‘Dakshina Kashi,’ was a witness to a sea of humanity this morning, as lakhs of devotees from across the State took part in Lord Srikanteshwaraswamy’s Pancha Maharathotsava (Car Festival).

This is the only Pancha Maharathotsava in Southern India, where five Rathas (chariots) are drawn at once. The Gowthama Pancharathotsava began from Sri Srikanteshwara Temple in the auspicious Meena Lagna between 6.30 am and 6.50 am. The first Ratha to be drawn was Ganapathi Ratha, followed by Nanjundeshwara Doddaratha, Chandikeshwara, Subramanyeshwara and Goddess Parvathi Rathas in order.

The Gowthama Ratha, the biggest of the five Rathas, weighing a massive 250 tonnes and measuring 92 ft. in height, carried the Utsava Murthy of Lord Nanjundeshwara which was specially decorated for the occasion.

The Rathotsava was jointly inaugurated by the Temple EO Jagadish Kumar and Tahsildar Shivakumar as the Model Code of Conduct is in place for the Lok Sabha polls. The chariots passed through the Ratha Beedhi and other main thoroughfares in the temple surroundings, covering a total distance of about 2 kms, before returning to Srikanteshwara Temple.

A large crowd of devotees had gathered on both sides of the roads on which the chariots passed, with devotees, especially the newly wed couples offering dhavana and fruits to the deities in reverence.

The devotees chanted ‘Jai Nanjundeshwara’ and other such  phrases in praise of the Lord as the Rathas rolled by on the street, which rent the air for long.

Pujas and associated rituals began in the early morning hours with the performance of Ksheerabhisheka, Phalapanchamrutabhisheka, Yekawara Rudrabhisheka and other customary rituals. ‘Prasada’ was distributed among the devotees at various points in the vicinity of the temple. The Police had provided tight security. CCTV cameras were installed along the Rathotsava route and at other vantage points as security measure.

Nanjangud MLA Darshan Dhruvanarayan, former MLA Kalale Keshavamurthy, Congress leader Sunil Bose and a host of other political leaders took part in the Rathotsava and paid their obeisance to the deities.