Mysuru: Thousands of devotees thronged Goddess Chamundeshwari temple at Chamundi Hill today, as part of the first Ashada Friday Special Puja rituals. Ashada Friday Pujas will be held on three more Fridays — July 4, July 11 and July 18, with the Vardhanti of the presiding deity falling on July 17.

Shashishekar Dixit, the main priest of the Hill temple, led the rituals that began at 3.30 am, with Mahanyasa Purvaka Puja. The temple door was opened for devotees at 5.30 am and will remain open till 10 pm.

Like every year, devotees thronged Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds, from where the District Administration in association with Sri Chamundeshwari Temple Development Authority, had arranged free KSRTC buses for devotees to the Hilltop. To avoid chaos atop the Hill, the Authority had opened separate temporary counters at Lalitha Mahal Grounds to issue special entry tickets.

Three counters have been opened to issue Rs. 2,000 special entry tickets and six counters to issue Rs. 300 special entry tickets. While the response for higher denomination ticket was moderate, the devotees were seen vying with each other for Rs. 300 tickets.

The first KSRTC bus to Chamundi Hill from Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds departed at 5.30 am, coinciding with the opening of temple door for devotees.

Eight Airavata buses are being operated for Rs. 2,000 special entry ticket holders while for Rs. 300 ticket holders and Dharma Darshana (free entry), 45 KSRTC ordinary buses are being plied.

From early hours of 3.30 am, the devotees started climbing towards the hills through 1,001 steps from the foothill near Suttur Mutt, Mysuru Branch.

The Chamundeshwari temple is specially decorated with flowers of myriad hues like marigold, chrysanthemum, roses and others for the occasion, right from the main entrance of the temple to the sanctum sanctorum. The flowers arranged to denote Gandabherunda (the royal emblem of erstwhile Princely State of Mysore), OM and Swastik symbols, along with ‘AMMA’ in Kannada, at the main entrance of sanctum sanctorum garnered the attention of devotees.

The idol of presiding deity decorated in Lakshmi Alankara, was draped in golden coloured silk saree. The Utsava Murti of the Goddess was decorated with purple colour silk saree, being the cynosure of all the eyes.

Apart from the special entry ticket holders, separate barricading had been arranged for the devotees reaching the hill through steps and Dharma Darshana, totalling four different rows. However, a section of the devotees complained about the lack of privilege to break the queue to attend nature’s call and rejoin the queue.

For the first time, Sri Chamundeshwari Temple Development Authority had arranged the distribution of 25,000 Madilakki packets to the married women, including the newly weds. A separate counter had been opened to distribute the packets that included arishina, kumkuma, rice, green bangles and jaggery among other items.

A kit consisting of the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari and Prasada was distributed among Rs. 2,000 special entry ticket holders. To avoid confusion, the kits were issued on the production of the counter foil of the ticket at the bus boarding point at Lalitha Mahal Grounds and outside the temple atop the Hill.

Sri Chamundeshwari Temple Authority had arranged the distribution of prasada for devotees at the old parking lot near Mahishasura statue.

The menu was rice baath, curd rice and kesari baath, were distributed to the devotees in a buffet system.

M.J. Roopa, Secretary of Sri Chamundeshwari Temple Development Authority said, “On account of First Ashada Friday Puja, a large number of devotees have been visiting the temple. The devotees are having darshana of the Goddess, without any hiccup.”

Over a thousand Police personnel are deployed from Lalitha Mahal Palace Grounds to the Hill temple, as an extensive security measure. Besides, volunteers have been deputed to man the swelling crowd.