Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (EP)

Udupi, Mar 23: In what may be termed as a record in recent times, more than two-and-a-half lac devotees took park in 'Suggi Maripuja' at Kaup old Marigudi, New Marigudi and Kalya Marigudi. The festival began on Tuesday March 22 and concluded on Wednesday March 23.

The devotees participated in the puja held in the three Marigudis. Devotees made more than 75,000 Gaddige puja offerings, more than 25,000 Kumkumarchane offerings and over 25,000 Hoovina Puja offerings.

Lacs of devotees from Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Western Ghats belt, Kerala and Mumbai participated in the rituals. The idol of Mariamma deity prepared from a paricular kind of tree was brought on Tuesday March 23 and installed. The idol was then decorated with ornaments and taken in a procession from the three temples.

The religious customs concluded after the devotees presented their offerings and the idol was lowered from the seat.

The devotees arriving at the temple had to face difficulties due to the ongoing highway works. Traffic also was in disarray and police had to struggle hard to regulate it. Ice-cream and juice vendors made good profit due to summer heat.

Devotees offered goats and sheep to the deity as sacrifice. A record number of poultry was sacrificed. 

Police provided tight security with CCTV cameras to prevent pick-pocketing. The devotees who used to be fed up of thefts in the past could get offer prayers to deity without any worries this time around.