More than 15,000 people visit Temple; traffic clears only after 6 pm; all parking places full
Sunday’s collection
Rs. 100 ticket Rs. 5,97,600
Rs. 30 ticket Rs. 1,07,490
Parking charges Rs. 1,30,930
Total Rs. 8,36,020
Mysore/Mysuru: Thousands of devotees thronged Chamundi Hill yesterday and there was bumper-to-bumper traffic for long stretches till evening. Vehicles ascended the Hill from early in the morning and the lucky few got space in the multi-level parking lot and those vehicles that came after 11 am were stranded on the roads.
The situation improved only after 6 pm when many started clearing their vehicles from the parking lot. The weekends and festival season usually sees extra rush. But yesterday, thanks to cool weather and clear skies, many decided to go to the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill.
This resulted in traffic snarls from the View Point where people had to patiently wait for the vehicles to move. As the multi-level parking that can accommodate over 800 vehicles became full in no time, parking was allowed in Devikere premises. Soon, this place too became full and many were forced to park their vehicles by the side of the road and walk towards the Temple.
Tough time for elderly
Only people residing in the Chamundi Hill Gram Panchayat limits and the people connected to the Temple administration are allowed to go beyond the multi-level parking lot barricade. Usually, the elderly and the disabled are allowed inside by the guards. But yesterday, even the elderly and the disabled found it tough to enter the temple premises.
On a normal day, it takes just a few minutes to reach the Temple parking gate from the View Point. But yesterday it took more than 30 minutes to traverse the same distance. The Police and the guards appointed by the Temple Management Committee had a tough time in regulating the traffic.
Further, as there was heavy rush inside the Temple it took hours for the vehicles to clear from the parking lot as the devotees had to finish their Darshan and then come out to take their vehicles. Yesterday, more than 15,000 people visited the Temple and the overall collection from the special entry tickets stood at Rs. 7,05,090. In addition, there were long-winding queues in the free Darshan routes.
The parking fee at the multi-level parking lot and Devikere too yielded good income as two-wheelers had to pay Rs. 10, cars, SUVs and jeeps Rs. 40, tempo travellers Rs. 60 and buses Rs. 100. In all, Rs. 1,30,930 was collected, Chamundeshwari Temple Administrative Officer N.S. Yathiraj Sampathkumaran told Star of Mysore.
Night city view
Traffic began clearing only in the evening and the situation was under control after 6 pm. There was an unusual rush in the morning as people usually prefer their first visit to the Temple before heading out to other tourist attractions in Mysuru. But yesterday’s situation was special as there was a day-long rush at the Temple.
As darkness descended, many vehicles stopped by at the View Point to capture the beauty of the ever-expanding Mysuru. Many recollected the visuals of Dasara lightings. Last night’s visuals were not as special as during Dasara but they enthused the crowd who rejoiced on the view point platforms, clicking selfies.
Religious Tourism is when devotees from nearby villages and towns who are called Domestic Tourists visit Temples. Authorities now have to see to it that these tourists/devotees don’t litter plastic bottles and cups in the hill area.
To fulfil their ESG credentials (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance), companies/startups from mysuru/Bengaluru can come forward to plant trees in the Chamundi hill area so as to offset the Carbon Footprint of the Devotees/Tourist vehicles that come to the temple.
Maybe we could have a couple of more viewpoints so that there is no rush at the only viewpoint on the hill.
All these facilities are for Devotees who are domestic tourists, but when I mention the word tourism many of my fellow commenters get angry.
I am all for sustainable religious tourism for the devotees, which includes protecting the environment and thus asking companies to join hands with forest departments and plant trees this world environment day June 05th which is a Sunday. so even children can start caring for the environment from an early age by planting saplings and we leave a clean and green Mysuru for the Future Generations.
Kindly Note while choosing tree saplings, they should be more than six feet in height for chances of better survival, as was advised by a forest officer during one of the tree sapling planting events a few years ago.
Really parking facility is good in Chamundi hill, but I have a doubt on accountability of parking fee collecting in Chamundi hill, because while entering in to parking complex the staff in counter who collects fees amount, he just take the amount but he is not issuing any kind of ticket or token. So concerned authorities should kindly look in to it.