Srirangapatna: A Cauvery Aarati was performed on Sunday evening at Snana Ghatta in Srirangapatna where the Goddess was propitiated on the day of auspicious Tula Sankramana. The holy Theerthodbhava occurred at Talacauvery, the birthplace of the river, on Oct. 17.

The Yuva Brigade had organised the event where hundreds of residents too took part. A giant stage was set up in the middle of the river and the ceremonial Aarati was performed amidst chanting of hymns and playing devotional songs. As the Aarati was performed on the stage, the banks of the river were impressively lit and devotees had brought their own puja materials to perform Aarati.

The rituals were led by noted Vedic Scholar Dr. Bhanuprakash Sharma who narrated the story of the birth of the river at Talacauvery and her journey till Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu. Sri Abhinava Halaswamiji of Halaswamiji Mahasamsthana Hirehadagali in Ballari District stressed the need to conserve Cauvery in the wake of widespread destruction of the environment in Kodagu.

Yuva Brigade Founder and noted orator Chakravarthi Sulibele said that Yuva Brigade would make Cauvery Aarati an annual affair and from next year, four days prior to the event, volunteers would clean Paschimavahini and then perform rituals. He noted that a week back, the Yuva Brigade volunteers had fished out five tractor loads of garbage from Paschimavahini.