In Karnataka’s Hassan district, the 13‑day Hasanamba festival finished on Wednesday after drawing a huge crowd of devotees, film stars and politicians.
Around 2.6 million people visited the historic Hasanamba temple to see the Goddess. They bought special darshan tickets and bought laddu prasada, bringing the temple’s revenue to about Rs 20 crore.
The festival opened the temple’s gates on October 9 for the first time in 13 years. Normally the temple is closed except for a few days during Diwali, but this year the doors were open for the whole event, letting visitors experience the “miracle” that food, flowers and the lamp in front of the deity stay fresh and lit even when the temple is sealed.
“Everything ran smoothly,” said Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who stood at the site and managed the arrangements. He noted that on the final day waiting times were cut: ordinary tickets waited up to five hours, Rs 300 tickets three hours, and Rs 1,000 ticket holders entered without a queue. The last tickets were sold at 5 p.m. and darshan ended by 7 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner K.S. Latha Kumari praised Gowda’s leadership for keeping the schedule on track. The police, led by Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sujeetha, started with 1,500 forces on the first day and expanded to 2,500 by the end, ensuring safe and comfortable visits for everyone.
Poornima B.R., CEO of the Hassan Zilla Panchayat, explained that VIPs were offered specific time slots; otherwise they purchased Rs 1,000 tickets to join the crowd. The authorities supplied water and prasada to those waiting in long queues, saying it was a coordinated team effort.
The presence of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah added a political layer to the event, sparking discussions about state leadership. The Hasanamba temple, known as the “South Indian Vaishno Devi” for its prominence as a Shakti Peeth, remains a key pilgrimage site in Karnataka.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
