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Mysuru: The picturesque confluence of three rivers, Cauvery, Kapila and Sphatika Sarovar on Sunday, February 17, saw devotees flocking to take a holy bath on occassion of the three day long ‘Maha Kumbh Mela’ which has been drawn on the lines of Kumbha Mela in Allahabad.
Many devotees appreciated district administration for maintaining cleanliness and providing more comforts and facilities to the devotees. A new make shift bridge which is also called floating bridge was constructed in just three days by nearly 150 Madras Engineering Groups (MEG) personnel’s connecting Sri Mahalakshmi Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple and Sri Agastheswara Swamy Temple.
The 11th Kumbha mela that is held every three years and attracts devotees not only from across the state but also from across the country began on Sunday. A large number people took holy dip in the ‘Triveni Sangama’. In terms of religious importance the T Narasipura Kumbha mela is no less than that of Allahabad but it is less known among the common people. Over the years it has started gaining importance among devotees. A group of people including IT professionals from Shimoga and Bengaluru were also seen taking a dip at the confluence.
Sathguru Bakkiya Srirama Swami, 61, who is also called KN Raman and spiritual leader in Ooty, who for the past 20 years visited many places including Kashi, Rishikeshi and Vaishnavadevi, and dedicated one month in a year for visiting such places, for the first time came to T Narasipur on Sunday to witness the Kumbha Mela. Srirama Swami said “I have seen many places like this including Kashi but according to me this place is much cleaner and have lot of facilities for its devotees”.
People started visiting from 4.30 AM. M Shantharaj, local diver said “Devotees started coming from 4.30 AM, and by 9 AM more than 15,000 people had visited the mela. At an average nearly 10 lakh people are expected to attend the three day Kumba Mela. A large number of devotees from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh also attend the mela.
The three shrines of Agasthyeswara, Bhiksheswara and Sri Gunja Narasimhaswamy temples were also visited by devotees as the ritual of Kumbh Mela concludes only after the devotees have darshan of all the three shrines.
Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his cabinet colleagues are expected to attend the mela. They are even expected to take a holy dip in the ‘Triveni Sangama’.
The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the devotees. The entire area is brightly lit as the organizers expecting good turnout on February 18 and 19. Nearly 43 divers have been roped in to look into safety of devotees who will be taking dip in the river. The divers have been deployed at different vantage points especially where more number of devotees are expected to take a dip into the river. Not only diver’s even MEG personnel are also monitoring round the clock.
More than 1500 police officers and 75 CCTVs are deployed for the mela. “We have deployed more than 1500 police officers. Antisabotage check is arranged. We have also installed more than 75 CCTVs at vantage points. Apart from this we have set up control system with three control rooms and watch towers. On day one, to begin it was normal rush and if there is more rush we will be diverting the vehicle” said Superintendent of Police Amit Singh.
On day one, as part of beginning to the three day event, various religious leaders performed homa including ‘Ganapathi homa’.
