Mysuru: Ahead of Nada Habba Mysuru Dasara-2024, scheduled to be held from Oct. 3 to 12, the Mysore Palace Board handed over the Utsava Murthy (idol) of Goddess Chamundeshwari to Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority here on Monday.

Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya handed over the idol, made of panchaloha (alloy of five metals), to the Secretary of Sri Chamundeshwari Temple Authority, M.J. Roopa at Mysore Palace.

The Utsava Murthy will be consecrated in the silver chariot, to which floral tributes will be offered by dignitaries during  the inauguration of Dasara festivities, every year atop the Hill. The same idol will be handed back to Palace Board on Vijayadashami Day, to be taken out for Jumboo Savari, on the howdah elephant.

Except for these two occasions, the idol remains in the custody of Palace Board and will be offered puja daily.

With over a fortnight left for the inauguration of Navarathri on Oct. 3, brisk preparations are underway at the Hilltop. Till then, the priests of Chamundi Temple will perform puja to the idol.

Palace Board Deputy Director  T.S. Subramanya told SOM that special puja is offered to the idol every Tuesdays and Fridays and during Ashada Fridays. The idol is kept inside the wooden howdah at the Palace, which is used during Srirangapatna Dasara. Earlier, the idol used to be kept in the safe locker at Palace. Now, with lakhs of tourists visiting the Palace, they have the privilege of having darshan of the deity.

Whenever any programmes are held at Palace, including Flower Show, special puja is performed  to the idol. The practice is followed prior to the installation of the idol inside the 750-kg golden howdah for Jumboo Savari. After the culmination of Dasara procession, the idol will be installed again inside wooden howdah.

The Utsava Murthy was handed over to Temple Authority 18 days prior to Dasara inauguration on the advise of Temple’s Chief Priest Shashishekar Dixit, in view of pitru paksha being observed from Sept. 17 to Oct. 2, he said.