Ashada Fridays & weekends atop Chamundi Hill
VIP queue, protocol darshan only between 5.30 am and 10 am
Mysuru: The Mysuru District Administration has completed preparations for the annual Ashada Friday celebrations and the Chamundeshwari Vardhanti at Chamundi Hill, with special arrangements in place to manage the expected surge in devotees.
Chairing a preparatory meeting at the hill shrine yesterday, DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy said, the four Ashada Fridays will be observed on July 17, 24, 31 and Aug. 7, while the Chamundeshwari Vardhanti will be celebrated on Aug. 4.
To facilitate the movement of devotees, KSRTC will operate special bus services from Shashiranjan Grounds at the foot of Chamundi Hill and City Bus Stand from 6.30 am to 8.30 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the festival period.
Devotees opting to climb the hill on foot will be allowed to enter from the foothill only after 5 am. The administration has appealed to pilgrims not to gather at the entrance before the permitted time.
Authorities have also announced that no footwear stands will be available atop Chamundi Hill. Instead, devotees can deposit their footwear only at the designated facilities at Shashiranjan Grounds and the City Bus Stand.
As part of crowd management measures, VIPs and protocol dignitaries will be permitted darshan only between 5.30 am and 10 am. After 10 am, no VIP vehicles will be allowed to enter the hill. Private vehicles will be completely prohibited from entering Chamundi Hill on all four Ashada Fridays as well as on Chamundeshwari Vardhanti. Only vehicles carrying official duty passes will be permitted.
Control room
A special control room will oversee crowd management, with particular focus on regulating queues, including the Rs. 2,000 special darshan line.
The control room will be staffed by the Mysuru City Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), the Divisional Controller of KSRTC Mysuru Urban Division and the Secretary of the Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority.
Officials have been instructed to ensure orderly movement of devotees and prevent overcrowding or pushing in queues.
Entry into the Rs. 2,000 darshan queue will be restricted to ticket holders, while display boards showing the estimated waiting time for darshan will be installed to keep devotees informed. The administration will also provide mobile toilets, drinking water facilities and garbage bins at key locations along the queue routes.
Nodal officers will be appointed to monitor these arrangements and ensure essential services remain available throughout the festival.
The preparatory meeting was attended by Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) S. Ukesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dr. Harsha Priyamvada, DCP (Crime and Traffic) K.S. Sundar Raj, Sri Chamundeshwari Kshetra Development Authority Secretary M.J. Roopa and other senior officials.
This post was published on July 15, 2026 7:30 pm