‘Cauvery Aarti’ on trial basis this Dasara, full-fledged ceremony only after preparations

‘Cauvery Aarti’ on the lines of ‘Ganga Aarti’ at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is likely to be introduced on an experimental basis during Dasara next month but a full-fledged ceremony will be launched after establishing necessary infrastructure at the ‘Aarti’ site on the banks of Cauvery river.

A delegation of MLAs from Mandya and Mysuru districts headed by Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Minister in charge of Mandya district, which visited Varanasi and Haridwar to study ‘Ganga Aarti’, said the full-fledged Cauvery aarti cannot be introduced without proper preparation and the religious ceremony required certain infrastructure that needed to developed at the place identified for holding the ‘Aarti’.

The delegation felt the launch of the religious ceremony, most likely at KRS dam site in Srirangapatna taluk, needs more preparations and arrangements.

It was earlier proposed to introduce full-fledged ‘Cauvery Aarti’ at KRS during the ‘Srirangapatna Dasara’ but the delegation, after visiting Varanasi and Haridwar and witnessing the ‘Ganga Aarti’ and speaking to the authorities concerned in Uttar Pradesh and also meeting the Ganga Aarti Trust members felt that the launch required a lot of planning with infrastructure suiting the ceremony like in Varanasi.

However, the delegation said the ‘Cauvery Aarti’ can be launched on an experimental basis during Dasara to give an opening to the proposal.

After wrapping up the study tour of ‘Ganga Aarti’, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy told a press conference in Varanasi on Sunday that another delegation is required to visit Varanasi and Haridwar for a further study of the ceremony for its introduction in the State. Shortly, a team of officials from Karnataka will visit Uttar Pradesh in this regard, he added.

The delegation included MLAs, MLCs, and officials from Cavery Niravari Nigam, and it met the Ganga Aarti Trust members, discussing the procedure and arrangements and infrastructure.

“A report will be submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the infrastructure required for Cauvery Aarti based on their study of Ganga Aarti. There is a need for elaborate preparation for ‘Cauvery Aarti’. Therefore, another delegation will visit and study the ceremony in Varanasi,” the Minister said.

Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy said whether to have ‘Cauvery Aarti’ daily, twice a week or three days a week will be discussed with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister before a decision is taken.

He said the priests from Varanasi and Haridwar have been invited to Mandya to assist the authorities there in introducing the ‘Cauvery Aarti’ on an experimental basis. The priests in Mandya need to be trained in holding the Aarti and their visit will help us. A final decision on their visit will be taken after discussing with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

Discussions are about the place where the platform has to be constructed for holding ‘Cauvery Aarti’ on the banks of the river. Nimishamba Temple in Ganjam, KRS dam site and Balamuri are the places discussed. A flat surface was needed for constructing the platform and the delegation discussed three places which they felt were “suitable” for holding the ‘Aarti’.

Published - September 22, 2024 08:01 pm IST