Silvester D’Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Dec 3: Kalavara Mahalingeshwara and Kalinga temple here is well known for snake god. Champa Shashti festival was celebrated with pomp and gaiety in the temple on Monday, December 2.

Navakumbha Sthapana, Rudrabhisheka, Mahamangalaarathi, Abhisheka, Panchamratha Pooje, offerings of fruits, Kalasha, glimpse of the deity, Veda Parayana, Made Pradakshane, Sandarshana Palla Pooje and public meals were held on Dec 2. Nagamadala Seve and Tulabhara will be held on December 3.

The festival was the first held after renovation. Thousands of devotees took part and prayed to the deity. The 800 old temple is also called second Subrahmanya. Offering for vows is it’s another specialty. The prasada meals here are also significant.

Procession here is a part of celebrations. Devotees from different parts of the state arrived here for ex-voto. The devotion where thousands of devotees gather is also called Hiri Shashti.

Concrete road is laid now till the temple. The sanctum sanctorum of Kalinga Subrahmanya and Mahalingeshwara are renovated with stone carvings. As the temple area is widened there was no rush. Snake God deck is constructed on the western side. Carved snake god carvings are laid in many places. The festival was celebrated in disciplined manner. The initiative of organizing committee, cooperation from local groups and support from devotees made the festivities successful.

Organizing committee president Raviraj N Shetty, committee members, priest Sathyanarayana Puranik, K Narasimha Karanth, K K Kalavarkar, Nagaraj Rao, Chandrashekar Shetty, K Rathnakar Shetty, Kalavathi, Varada, priests and devotees worked for the success of the celebrations.