Bettadapura
Preparations are in full swing in Bettadapura for the Shidlu Mallikarjuna Swamy Diwali festival, which will be celebrated alongside the Bhramaramba festival. Local devotees and temple authorities have been actively organizing rituals, decorations, and arrangements to ensure the festivities proceed smoothly.
The festival will commence with a ceremonial procession carrying the silver Basappa, Girijadevi, and Shidlu Mallikarjuna Utsava idols from the village temple to the hilltop temple. On Balipadyami, the following morning, devotees will perform abhishekam, decoration, and Mahamangalarati at the hill temple, followed by a special puja. After completing the rituals, the Utsava idols will be brought back to the village and installed in a newly built green pavilion in front of the temple, where further pujas will be conducted.
Highlighting the significance of the celebrations, temple authorities noted that it is a long-standing tradition to hold the Girija Kalyana every year on Bharata Purnima in February. In advance, the Lagna Patrika Shastra is performed during Diwali to determine the auspicious date for the Kalyana rituals. This year, as in the past, the day for the Girija Mallikarjuna Swamy Kalyana will be fixed in accordance with temple customs, maintaining the religious and cultural continuity of the festival.
Devotees from Bettadapura and surrounding areas are expected to participate in large numbers, making this year’s festival a vibrant and spiritually significant event. The celebrations are also seen as a way to strengthen community bonds and uphold the rich religious heritage of the region.