Dasara Mahotsava begins at Kudroli temple in Karnataka's Mangaluru

The grand Dasara Mahotsava at the Kudroli Gokarnanatha temple here began on Monday with the installation of goddesses Navadurga and Sharada.

The grand Dasara Mahotsava at the Kudroli Gokarnanatha temple here began on Monday with the installation of goddesses Navadurga and Sharada. The celebrations will be held till October 6 during which period various cultural and spiritual programmes will be conducted on the temple premises, the temple authorities said.

The Dasara Mahotsava in Mangaluru organized by Gokarnanatheshwara Temple in Kudroli is one of the iconic events celebrated in Tulunadu, and is an hour's drive from Udupi.

"Pushpalankara pooja" will be conducted every day at 12.30 pm and "Bhajana" will be held from 7 to 8 pm. Cultural programmes will start in the evening on all nine days. The grand procession of Dasara Mahotsava will begin at 4 pm on October 5.

READ | KSRTC to introduce Dasara darshan package in Dakshina Kannada district

Former Union Minister Janardhan Poojary will lead all the celebrations being held at the temple. Meanwhile, all the temples of the twin districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have been decked up for the festival. Special poojas are to be offered for nine days and on the 10th day Vijayadashami will be celebrated.

Navaratri is being celebrated at all temples around the city including Sri Mangaladevi temple, Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari temple, Polali Sri Rajarajeshwari temple and Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari temple. Sarvajanika Sri Sharada Mahotsava of Car Street, which is holding the celebration in its centenary year, will be held on a grand scale.

READ | Dasara holidays from Sep 26 in Dakshina Kannada: Karnataka minister

At Sri Krishna mutt in Udupi, goddess Devi will be offered flowers. Special poojas will be held in temples including Kollur, Mandarti, Ucchila, Neelavara, Nandikooru, Indrani, Bailoor, Ambalpady and Kukkundoor in Karkala. The Mahanavarastri festival celebrations at Mookambika temple at Kollur in Udupi was inaugurated by temple management committee president Kerai Chandrashekar Shetty.

Ganapathi pooja was held, followed by "Mangalarathi." The temple has made all arrangements for people arriving from various parts of the state and devotees from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Shetty said. Temple executive officer S P B Mahesh was also present.