Image: Supplied
Srirangapatna (Mandya): Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar prayed to Cauvery Mata for relief from the drought situation, prosperity for Karnataka and the well-being of the people as he inaugurated the Cauvery Aarti programme at Brindavan Gardens near the KRS dam on Friday.
Shivakumar offered prayers to the Cauvery Mata idol at KRS along with his family before watching performances by cultural troupes from different parts of the state.
A team of 13 local Vedic priests associated with the Religious Endowment Department conducted the first phase of the rituals in a South Indian tradition.
The ceremony began with mangala vadya accompanied by “Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje”, followed by Cauvery prayers, Ganapati prayers, Guru prayers and sankalpa.
The priests then performed teertha puja accompanied by the Cauvery stotra and offered bagina.
Prayers to Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara were followed by chamara seva, conch-blowing in three directions, incense aarti and recitation of mantra pushpa.
The rituals continued with kumbha aarti, naga aarti and Cauvery aarti.
The combination of conch sounds, Vedic chanting and different forms of aarti created a devotional atmosphere, with the gathered crowd watching the ceremony in visible reverence.
A second phase of the programme was then conducted by a 15-member team led by Varanasi priest Om Mishra in the style of Ganga Aarti.
Amid devotional songs, the team performed dhoop aarti, panchapradeep aarti, sarpa aarti, mayura pincha seva and vinjamara seva before sounding the conch.
The programme presented Cauvery worship through both South Indian ritual traditions and a Ganga Aarti-inspired format, turning the KRS Brindavan Gardens into the setting for a large ceremonial gathering.
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