Mysuru:  City Congress Vice-President C. Manjunath, along with his wife Rathnamma, took up barefoot walkathon to Tirupathi from city yesterday morning, praying Lord Venakateshwara for establishment of peace and progress in the society.

This was the 25 barefoot walk to Tirupathi being taken up by  this couple. They made special prayers for people of Kodagu, who were badly hit by landslides caused by heavy rains this year, to fulfil all their wishes.

They began their pilgrimage from Sri Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple after offering puja to Ganapathi Temple near North Gate of Mysore Palace. Prior to this, they offered puja to Goddess Chamundeshwari atop Chamundi Hill, the presiding deity of the city.

City Congress President R. Murthy and Devaraja Police bid farewell after garlanding them and greeted success for their temple run.

They will reach Tirupathi on 12th day starting from yesterday after covering Srirangapatna, Maddur, Bengaluru, Kolar and other places. They will join other 500 people near Maddur, who will also take part in the barefoot walk to Tirupathi from K.R. Nagar, Periyapatna, Hunsur, Mandya,  and other places.

They will rest under the trees and halt in Ashrams and  Temples located en route. They will consume the food offered by the devotees and management of various temples during their journey.

Except a few set of clothes and drinking water, they will not carry any other materials. They walk carrying ‘bettha’ (a bamboo wooden stick) which is said to have a special spiritual power. Besides providing all energy, ‘bettha’ will also help keep wild animals at bay during their walkathon. They will return to city on a bus from Tirupathi after performing all pujas.