Chamarajanagar: Car festival or rathotsava at Malai Mahadeshwara Hill, one of South India’s famous pilgrimage center was held on Sunday March 14 in a simple and traditional way.

At 10.25 am, the girls of Bedagampana Community wearing green sarees initiated the pooja by performing traditional aarti. Hulivahana, Basavahana, and the Rudrakshi mantaps that participated on the occasion were the center of attraction.

While Shivaratri car festival was held on Sunday, from the four last days special religious services including oil massage and new moon worship were performed too.

With the increasing corona cases in the state, as per the instructions of the State Level Technical Advisory Committee visitors from outside were restricted from March 9 to 14. Also, the stay of the devotees was restricted.

As per Covid 19 guidelines, the district administration decided to bar the crowds and observe the car festival in a simple and traditional manner. The entry of devotees from outside was banned. Police check posts were built in various parts of the district, including Talabetta, to prevent outsiders.

Several dignitaries were present during the chariot ceremony, including Shivarathri Desikendra Mahaswamy of the Suttur Math, Shanthamallikarjunaswamy of Salooru Math, and Jayavibhavanswamy, the secretary of the Malai Mahadeshwara Swami Development Authority.