Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP/EP)
Kundapur, Nov 25: The annual car festival of Lord Kotilingeshwara temple at Koteshwar here, which happens to be the most popular car festival in the region, began on Wednesday November 25. Tantri Prasanna Kumar Aithal offered prayers and flagged off the chariot procession.
The chariot was pulled by devotees amidst chanting. There were Chende recitals and Kerala Chende recitals by Vishnupoorthi Seva Balaga and Udupi Manjusha Mahila Chende Balaga. A large number of devotees participated in the festival and sought blessings from Sri Kotilingeshwara deity.
The week-long celebrations will comprise cultural programmes by several groups and associations. K V Anand Rao and party and children of Davanagere arranged soft drinks. Koteshwar Hindu Jagarana Vedike distributed free butter milk.
Koteshwar Kotilingeshwara temple organizing committee president M Prabhakara Shetty Moodugopadi and executive official Ganesh Rao led-team made all necessary arrangements for devotees. Tight police security was provided under the leadership of Kundapur DSP.
Koteshwar, which has found a mention in both history and mythology, houses one of the seven sacred temple ponds in the district. The temple is believed to have been constructed by Lord Parashurama, one of the incarnations of Vishnu.
Koteshwar is located four km to the south of Kundapur on national highway 66. History says the place was known with the name, Dhwajapura, in the past. Perhaps this place became popular with that name either because Lord Shiva hoisted victory flag after decimating scores of demons, or because it has been considered as the most sacred among 68 sacred spots in the region, or for the fact that a huge flag staff was erected in front of the temple in the past by a king named King Vasudeva of Mahishmati Nagara.
History says that the place was known as Kudikooru before acquiring the name, Dhwajapura. As such, the annual car festival here continues to be known as 'Kodi Habba'. Kodi Habba is celebrated on the full moon day of 'Vrushchika' month as per Hindu calendar. As a mark of Tipu Sultan's grants made to this temple, even now a unique procedure known as 'Deevatige Salaam' is performed before the chariot is pulled. This car festival is believed to be auspicious for newly married couples who bathe in the temple pond and pray to the Almighty. Unmarried people often find their matches at the festival, as almost all the families from around the region, even those residing in far off places, make it a point to attend the car festival. It is customary for the people to take home a surgar cane sheath home from the fair.
The temple pond here is one of the largest, spread over five acres of land. People come to the temple early morning around 3 am, take bath in the pond, and spread rice around the pond, before entering the temple. The car festival celebrations begin a week earlier, with the idol of the presiding deity being taken around in a procession accompanied by musical instruments. Car festival is held on the eighth day. Cultural programmes including Yakshagana performanes are held on all these nights. All the houses and shops in the town are decorated with green festoons, rangoli, lights etc.
The managing committee of the temple, with support of various departments, has made elaborate arrangements for the success of Kodi Habba.