Gates closed since lockdown but people sneak in from the sides
Mysuru: The 1,008 steps leading to the Chamundi Hilltop continues to be a place of attraction for fitness freaks and also to the young crowd — a majority of them college students — who frequent the steps despite the gates leading to the steps being closed ever since the pandemic began.
For those who are still adamant of climbing the steps despite gates being shut, there is a small space by the side of the gate where people can squeeze in if they want to, provided they are ready to take the risk of sustaining scratch marks. This small space has become popular now and many are taking this route to reach the Hilltop.
For the fitness enthusiasts, climbing the steps is an integral part of their fitness regime. For many morning and evening walkers and joggers, it is a mandatory routine — to climb the steps early in the morning, have darshan of Goddess Sri Chamundeshwari and return home as the Sun gets hotter. However, of late, they are unable to ascend the steps as the gates are closed.
According to people who stroll near the foothill, the gates were closed when the lockdown was imposed last year and it was never opened. Even for this Dasara festival they were not open as the District Administration wanted to prevent surging crowds during the inauguration.
According to local villagers, the gates of the steps were opened only on Oct. 14 (Ayudha Puja day) this year when Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje visited the Chamundi Hill Temple.
She has a practice of climbing the steps on Ashada Friday but this year, she could not make it during Ashada as she was preoccupied with her work in New Delhi after being inducted as the Union Minister. “The gates of the steps were opened on Oct. 14 specially for Shobha Karandlaje and after her step-climbing ritual, the gates were shut again,” villagers said.
The Hill’s dense green cover, coupled with its proximity to the city has always made it a favourite haunt among locals. The 1,008-step stairway is believed to date back to 1659 when Maharaja Dodda Devaraja Wadiyar reigned over Mysuru.
The administration’s move to shut the step entry has inconvenienced the devotees who have taken vows to climb the steps. For many devotees, it is a way of fulfilling a vow where women carry arishina-kumkuma (vermilion-turmeric) in arecanut palm leaf plates and climb the steps up to the Temple (Hejje Pooje). They stop at every step to apply arishina-kumkuma on their way up the Hill.
Regulars have appealed to the District Administration and the Temple authorities to open the gates as now the COVID pandemic is on the declining trend and also as most of the population have been vaccinated with two doses.
It is very amusing to know that even the steps are open to only VVIP, VIP and their chamchas. Who says all are are equal in the eyes of the law and the Gods????
It seems that the local administration and the police “revere and worship” the politicians and other so called VIPs, more than they revere/worship the goddess Chamundeshwari. They dont seem to realise that the God does not distinguish between the VIPs and ordinary citizens. In fact, it is a known fact that the opposite is true as it is the people who empower these so called VIPs!!!!!!
Minister Shobha Karandlaje is very responsible person who advocates social distance and maybe they allowed her thinking she will not spread covid at Chamundi hills step. She has demonstrated her social distance stance during her Janashirvada yatra. One could see her followers were six feet apart from each other…
If these VIPs use backdoor or front door to get what they want, only Goddess Chamundi has to take the matter into her hands and serve justice, because common man is helpless.
It is an absolute shame to see such pettiness by the local administration. Who says we are not an autocracy? I don’t live in Mys now, but I revere this place and would have been thoroughly disappointed to see this state of affairs. If it were a responsible administration, they would have setup a clear operating procedure where someone could open the gates each day and shut them off in the evening, just like in a temple. We should bring this VIP culture to an end, I just don’t know how!
For the district administration, it has become the default action of closing the gate of foothills and restricting timings for entering the temple( via road) avoiding the public entering the hill. At least they should have a logical reason for taking any of these steps.
Rather than they should embrace the importance of the natural physical activity of public which does not the cost nothing rather keeps an overall community healthy which inturns reduce the burden public health expenses for the government.
VIP culture will always be there and it will be always there but at least allow the public in other days in a legal way
Note: not against any actions imposed ( if imposed) by the authority for polluting the surrounding in maintaining the sanity of the place.
Administration has allowed thousands across all tourist destinations in the city. Not sure what is stopping them from opening these gates. For sure a very immatured and poor decision by the concerned officers. Hope they realize their mistakes and take corrective measures soon.