Religious fervour marks 'Kodial Theru'

Mangalore, January 30: Amid religious fervour the chariot of Shri Venkataramana Swamy was pulled by the devotees on the Car Street in the City marking the grand 'Brahma Rathotsava', also known as 'Kodial Theru'.

This marks the culmination of more than three weeks of festivities at the temple that began with reconsceration rituals at the temple earlier in the month.

In keeping with historical tradition, the temple management took out procession in the form of Ratha Yatra on the fifth day of six-day Car Festival at the temple.

Preparations were afoot for the last fews days for the Rathotsava whose culmination was on Monday, when the chariot hit the road after a year.

The magnificent golden chariot was decorated with festoons and garlands on which the idol of Venkataramana was placed in a golden palanquin and was taken around the sanctum sanctorum of the temple accompanied with music, chanting of hymns and bhajans.

There was a rush among the sea of devotees to pull the chariot as it is considered to be an invitation to good luck. They also offered fruits and Akshathe to the idol to seek its blessings.

An elaborate arrangement made by the Mangalore City Police paid off as the event passed of smoothly and unhindered.

The police blocked the roads leading to the Temple in view of the huge turnout of devotees to participate in the event and diverted the traffic.

Car Festival of the Venkatramana Temple is one of the famous festivals of Mangalore that attracts a large number of tourists to Mangalore.

Car Festival in this Temple is a six day festival that is celebrated by the people of Mangalore with immense pomp and show. On each of the six days of the festival, some of the temples in Mangalore organize feasts and distribute 'chaneghashi', 'dalitoi' and 'goddi'. Chaneghashi, dalitoi and goddi are rice, lentils and a certain kind of bread that are prepared specially for the occasion by the young men clad in yellow, orange and red attire. In fact, as many as 1500 volunteers participate in the Mangalore Car Festival of the Venkatramana Temple.

The celebration includes yajnas, samraradhana, vasantha pooja, so on and so forth. But the main celebration consists of carrying the titular deity on a gigantic 'Theru' or 'Kodial Theru'.