The Hasanamba-Siddeshwara Jatra Mahotsava in Hassan recorded its highest-ever footfall this year, with 30.07 lakh devotees visiting the temple during the public darshan period, while the festival generated Rs 25.6 crore in revenue excluding hundi collections. The Karnataka government has announced that the event will be celebrated as a state festival from next year, with enhanced facilities for devotees.
Hassan district in-charge minister KM Shivalingegowda announced the decision at the conclusion of this year’s festival on Wednesday. He said the Hasanamba-Siddeshwara festival would be organised on the lines of Mysuru Dasara, with improved arrangements for the large number of visitors attending the annual event.
The Hasanamba temple opens only once a year for less than two weeks. This year, its doors were opened on October 29, public darshan began on October 30 and concluded on November 11. The first and last days were reserved for rituals, meaning devotees had access to darshan for the intervening period. The sanctum sanctorum was closed at 1.37 pm on Wednesday after customary rituals, including Panjina Pooje.
The festival’s recorded revenue included Rs 6 crore from Rs 300 tickets, Rs 13.2 crore from Rs 1,000 tickets, Rs 5.8 crore from online ticket sales and Rs 1.3 crore from laddu prasada sales. Hundi counting was scheduled to be taken up on Thursday, and officials expect the total revenue to cross Rs 30 crore after that collection is included.
The footfall represents a rise from the previous year, when 26,06,691 devotees visited the temple. The previous year’s total revenue was also reported at Rs 25.6 crore, including the hundi collection. This year’s reported revenue figure excludes the hundi amount, making the final comparison dependent on the counting scheduled after the festival’s closure.
The sharp concentration of visitors within a short annual window places significant demands on Hassan’s public administration, including access management, ticketing, transport arrangements, sanitation, security and communication with devotees. The minister apologised for inconvenience caused by communication gaps and said private agencies would be given greater responsibility for next year’s arrangements, while government officials would supervise the operations.
Hassan MP Shreyas M Patel, Hassan MLA HP Swaroop Prakash, deputy commissioner KS Latha Kumari and superintendent of police Shubhanwita participated in the ceremonial proceedings. The next Hasanamba festival is scheduled to be held from October 21 to 31, 2027, when the event is expected to be managed under its proposed state-festival framework.
