Mysore/Mysuru: Braving the early morning biting cold, wind and drizzle, thousands of devotees from across the city and the State visited the Chamundeshwari Hill temple on the third Ashada Friday here this morning. The crowd today was far bigger than the two Ashada Fridays on June 23 and 30.

The rituals began as early at 3.30 am with the conduct of Mahanyasapoorvaka Rudrabhisheka, Abhisheka, Sahasra Namarchane, Pushparchane etc., culminating with Mahamangalaarathi, following which the temple was thrown open for devotees at about 6 am.

Devotees had lined up in queues before the temple from early in the morning to seek the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari. The devotees had come in free KSRTC buses operating from Lalitha Mahal grounds, ticketed route buses starting from the City Bus Stand and by climbing of  the Hill steps.

The KSRTC had deployed 40 free buses from Lalitha Mahal grounds to meet the rush of devotees. The District Administration has banned entry of all types of private vehicles to the Hill on all Ashada Fridays, as a crowd control measure.

On the third Ashada Friday today, the idol of  Goddess Chamundeshwari was adorned with ‘Mahalakshmi Alankara’

and the temple was all the more specially decorated with a variety of flowers and other decorative articles.

There were three separate lines for devotees — One for Janata Darshan, one for Rs.50 ticket and the other for Rs.300 ticket. As in the previous two Ashada Fridays, elderly citizens aged over 65 years were allowed direct entry to the temple from the Rs.50 ticket entry gate.

With devotees greater in number this time, the Police had a tough time in ensuring that devotees stand in queues in an orderly manner and do not attempt to jump queues. The Hill temple will be open for devotees till 9.30 pm.

The Chamundeshwari Vardhanti falls on July 10 and the fourth and last Ashada Friday on July 14.