Mysore: The six-day annual Suttur Jatra festival is beginning at Sattur in Karnataak's Mysore on Wednesday. The annual Suttur Jatra, which is famous in dozens of towns, will start at 4pm in the afternoon today and will be open for the participants until Jan. 23, according to the organisers.
Anna Dasoha (food charity) and pooja were held at Shri Shivratreshwar's farm at Dasoha Bhavan as a precursor to the annual grand festival by the organisers on Tuesday. The event will be inaugrated by Chidanandaswamy of Hosam Math and Satchidananda Bharathi Swamiji of Shankaracharya Sansthan Edanir Math.
Various pontiffs, political leaders, social workers, donors, scientists, researchers and people from all walks of life are expected to participate in lakhs in the Jatra Mahotsava. During the six-day affair, there will be anna food dasoha for two and a half lakh people three times a day.
Thousands of quintals of rice have been stocked for this purpose. Besides, 200 quintals of Toor dal, 20 to 25 quintals of jaggery, and 1,500 tins of oil are also stockpiled. One thousand cooks and more than 5,000 volunteers have been deployed to serve food during the event.
On the inaugural day, there will be an exhibition and cultural fair, health check-up camp, rangoli competition, and boat rides in the presence of Shivratri Desikendra Swamiji. On Thursday, Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai will inaugurate the mass wedding. MLAs Dr. Shamanur Sivashankarappa, SA Ramdas, former minister Allam Veerbhadrappa, Vuppu Eshwar Rao, Tirumalai Tambu and Bharathi Reddy will participate in the event.
Also read: Priest drinks sheep blood at Karnataka fair 'to please God'
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi will lead the Rathotsava on Jan. 20. Former CM BS Yeddyurappa will also be participating in the event. The national games and painting competitions will be launched by the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah. Yaduveera Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, MP V Srinivasa Prasad, MLA Dinesh Gundurao will also be present on the occasion.
A seminar on the importance of cereals will be held on Jan. 21. Union Agriculture Minister Shobha Karandlaje will inaugurate the seminar. Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad, RSS Co-Executive CR Mukund, Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraja S. Horatti will also participate. BJP National Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh will attend the Bhajana Mela while former CM HD Kumaraswamy will participate in the Desi Games.
On Jan. 23, Agricultural fair and exhibition will be held. There will be an exhibition of 350 agricultural stalls. Siddhalinga Swami of Siddhaganga Math, Tumkur, Abhinava Gavisiddheshwara Swami of Gavisiddheshwara Math will perform the puja. BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will deliver the concluding speech. MP Sadananda Gowda and others will be present on the occasion. Meanwhile, the organisers have canceled the traditional Cattle Fair this year due to the lumpy virus outbreak.
