- ‘Ashada Fridays’ fall on July 1, 8, 15 & 22
- Two vaccine doses or negative RT-PCR report must
- Bus facility will be arranged; private vehicles not allowed
Mysore/Mysuru: For the first time in more than 100 years, the famed Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill was closed for two years for devotees during ‘Ashada’ rituals and ‘Ashada Fridays’ in the backdrop of COVID-19 crisis. The devotees had been restricted during the weekends of the Ashada month in 2020 and 2021.
After two years of restrictions, the devotees are now allowed to visit Chamundeshwari Temple for the month-long Ashada pujas, especially on Fridays and Amavasya as it is considered as an auspicious ritual. It may be noted that the month of Ashada, under the Chandramana calendar, begins on June 30 and ends on July 28 this year.
Disclosing this at a press meet held at Government Guest House here, District Minister S.T. Somashekar said that devotees will be allowed entry to Chamundeshwari Temple on Ashada Fridays and during Amavasya from this year. “However, two doses of Covid-19 vaccination or negative RT-PCR report, not older than 72 hours, would be made mandatory for the devotees visiting the temple,” he said.
A final call will be taken at a meeting with respective officials and people’s representatives which will be held on June 25. The rules, regulations and guidelines will be issued to devotees later.
There will be four Ashada Fridays this time — July 1, 8, 15 and 22. Vardanthi Utsava of Goddess Chamundeshwari will be held on July 20 to which devotees throng the Hill temple in large numbers.
As in the past, the District Administration has restricted movement of private vehicles, by making arrangements of KSRTC city bus shuttles from the Lalitha Mahal helipad to the Hill temple. Private vehicles may be parked at the parking lot in the helipad.
MP Pratap Simha, MLA S.A. Ramdas, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham, Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. B.S. Manjunathaswamy, ZP CEO B.R. Poornima, City Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, DCP (Law & Order) Pradeep Gunti, DCP (Crime & Traffic) M.S. Geetha Prasanna, and other officials were present at the press meet.
Although this temple was closed for ordinary devotees, it was open for minister and other VIPs. The temple administrator and the chief priest , made a lot of money by letting in the rich VIPs who gave them fist full of Rupees for the privilege of having darshan of the Goddess right in the Sanctum Sanctorum.
The chief priest you see there in the photograph, who looks more like model for the priest dress than a real priest-he got this lucrative position through dynasty arrangement-his father was a chief priest and before him, his father too etc..(In India , when the BJP comments on Nehru dynasty-they keep quiet on Amit Shah dynasty, whose son is politically powerful person, Yediyurappa and his son etc..)
This chief priest has become very rich, besides free housing, free food of prasadams taken home every day, subsidised water and electricity, he with the temple administrator charge those rich who can afford money for special darshans, and when this priest blesses the rich devotee right in front of the Goddess, his left hand is thrust with wads of Rupee notes by the devotee, with the Goddess watching, which this priest does not care , considering it as a mere idol!
The chief priest and the temple administrator are looking forward for very lucrative days ahead!