The Hindu

Mangalore, Mar 21: Preparations are on for the "Brahmakalasha" and "Nagamandalotsava" festivities at the Sri Kshetra Kateel on April 5 and 6, and efforts are being made to ensure a large participation at the mega religious event.

Working president of the Kateel Horae Dibbanna Samithi Pradeep Kumar Kalkura told that the organisers hoped to replicate the success of similar religious events that had been held at Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala and Sri Kshetra Kadri recently.

As part of the event, a "Kateel Horae Dibbanna" (procession) will be taken out on the lines of the Suvarna Karnataka Samskruthika Dibbanna.

People would be encouraged to offer items of common use to the temple, apart from the rice and other farm produce that is traditionally given, under the slogan "Talege ondu kaayi, kaige ondu huvu".

This was aimed at ensuring that even the common man could participate in the event and offer items that were within his reach, he said.

He said that a devotee could, for instance, offer a small conch, or even a steel tumbler or other kitchen utensils that could be used in a temple. Devotees could also offer a "thattiraya", or musical instruments such as the "dollu", "kombu" or "chande".

On March 30, devotees would take out a "nadige" (march) with their offerings from Nehru Maidan to the Karavali Utsav ground, he said. They would proceed from there in a convoy of vehicles to Sri Kshetra Kateel, and leave their offerings with the temple authorities, he added.