Mangaluru, Oct 20: The 10-day-long Mangaluru Dasara celebration ended on a high note with the immersion of 12 idols including nine forms of Durga, idol of Sharada, apart from Adi Shakti and Ganapathi, in the temple pond at Kudroli in the early hours of Saturday following night-long procession that passed through the prominent streets of the coastal city.
The grand procession, which commenced from the Kudroli Lord Gokarnanatha temple last evening saw nearly 75 tableaux participating and enthralling the onlookers with their themes. The procession was delayed by around four hours from the planned schedule. Tiger dancers, drummers and folk artists from across the state took part in the procession.
Prior to the start of the procession, special prayers were offered to the idol by temple’s chief priest Lakshman Shanti. The woman priest Indira Shanti also got an opportunity to perform ‘Aarti’ to the idol. Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary felicitated a dozen personalities including Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Mayor K Bhaskar and former MLA J R Lobo.
Cultural troupes showcased their performances which along with the Dollu Kunita, drummers etc added to the grandeur of the procession. Notably this year, for the first time a 16-member all girls troupe performed the Pilli Vesha, which otherwise has remained a male-bastion.
Huge crowds assembled to witness the procession which made its way through the illuminated streets of Lalbagh, PVS junction, Hampankatta, GHS Road, New Chitra to culminate at the temple pond in wee hours of Saturday.
People from far off places too had come to witness the grandeur of the procession. As live TV coverage was provided, lakhs of people could witness the entire procession by sitting in the comforts of their homes. The time, energy and money spent by activists and volunteers involved with the entire Dasara festival came in for lavish praise by the people of the city, who have now begun their eager wait for the next Dasara to happen.
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