Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Dec 14: The annual car festival of the famous Durgaparameshwari temple, Uppunda was celebrated with pomp and gaiety on Friday December 13.

Several religious rituals including 'Panchamratha Abhisheka' and 'Vishesha Bhoota Bali' were held under the supervision of temple in-charge Manju and Kollur temple priest Manjunath Adiga.

Thousands of devotees received meals in the temple auditorium in the afternoon. Sarees received for the deity were sold in public auction in the afternoon. Women took part in the auction with enthusiasm and bought sarees in the form of prasada. Thousands of devotees pulled chariot in the car festival in the evening and celebrated.

The festival celebrations of village deity Durgaparameshwari Amma were set in motion after hoisting the flag on December 8. Villagers and devotees had upon request from the temple, decorated their shops, houses and roads with special electric lights. Special devotion to the deity and cultural programmes are scheduled on Saturday night.

Byndoor MLA B M Sukumar Shetty, zilla panchayat member Gauri Devadiga, Suresh Batawadi, district KDP member S Raju Poojary, taluk panchayat member Jagadish Devadiga, former Byndoor MLA K Gopala Poojary, Kambadakone agriculture service cooperative society president Prakashchandra Shetty, Moortedaarara Sahakari Sangha president Mohan Poojary, Uppunda gram panchayat president and members, BJP Yuva Morcha president Sharath Kumar Shetty Uppunda, Hubballi based entrepreneur U B Shetty, administrator and Byndoor special tahsildar Basappa Poojar, Byndoor revenue inspector and executive in-charge E Kumar, temple chief priest Prakash Udupa, temple former managing trustee Jayaram Shetty and villagers in the vicinity and outside took part in the procession.

Tight police security was provided under the leadership of Byndoor police circle inspector Suresh Naik. Nasik band, special music coupled with drum beatings by Devadiga youth and others were part of the celebrations.