During the festival, flowers were also showered on devotees and the temple car (ratha) from the helicopter
New Delhi: Tens and thousands of devotees took part in Sharanabasaveshwara Jatra, an annual temple car (ratha) festival, in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi, commemorating the 200th death anniversary of the 18th-century scholar and saint Sharanabasaveshwara. During the festival, flowers were also showered on devotees and the temple car (ratha) from the helicopter.
Many devotees reached Kalaburagi after walking miles from Raichur, Vijayapura, Bidar and bordering states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, said The Hindu report. The devotees raised slogans hailing the saint and the eight peetadhipathi Sharanabasaveshwar Samasthan Sharnbaswappa Appaji.
Devotees celebrate the Sharanabasaveshwara Jatra by fasting and offering poojas throughout the day. The saint is reportedly believed to have foreseen his death and as he said he passed away after five days after Holi.
Ahead of the festival, the Sharanabasaveshwara shrine, which is located in the heart of the city, was decorated with colourful lights and all the arrangements were made beforehand as the Sharanabasaveshwara Sansthan has expected several devotees to flock the shrine, The Hindu reports.
