The Hasanamba Jatra in Hassan drew unusually large crowds on the first day of public darshan this year, packing both the Rs 300 special-darshan and free-darshan queues and prompting closer attention to crowd control, shelter and food-prasada pricing at the temple.
Thousands of devotees from Hassan district and other parts of Karnataka began arriving early on Friday. Some devotees reportedly started queueing at about 3am and waited for several hours for darshan of Goddess Hasanamba. The opening-day rush was significantly heavier than in previous years, when attendance was generally lower at the start of the festival.
The district administration and temple authorities installed German tents for the first time to protect devotees from rain and strong sunlight. Barricades were also placed to regulate movement and reduce the risk of overcrowding as visitors moved towards the temple.
Superintendent of Police Shubhanwita inspected security arrangements at the site. District minister KM Shivalingegowda also visited the temple and reviewed arrangements made for devotees. The Rs 1,000 special-darshan queue was full in the morning, although the rush eased considerably during the afternoon and the queues began to shorten.
Darshan access was staggered for different categories of visitors. Gold pass holders were permitted darshan between 8am and 10am, while visitors under protocol arrangements were allowed entry from 10.30am to 12.30pm. The arrangement placed different access categories alongside the larger free and paid queues during a high-demand opening period.
The minister also objected to the price at which laddu prasada was being sold. The responsibility for supplying the prasada had been given to Bengaluru-based Iskcon under a tender rate of Rs 56.16 for two laddus. The prescribed selling price was Rs 60 for two laddus, but the minister found that two laddus were being sold for Rs 100.
Shivalingegowda contacted representatives of the organisation and reprimanded them, according to the report. He directed that two laddus be sold to ordinary devotees for Rs 60, in line with the prescribed rate. He also directed that devotees holding Rs 1,000 and Rs 300 special-darshan tickets be given laddus free of cost.
The opening-day experience highlights the operational pressure placed on Hassan’s temporary pilgrimage infrastructure when visitor numbers rise sharply at the beginning of the jatra. Queue shelters, barricading, security deployment and regulated access are central to managing the movement of large numbers of devotees through a concentrated temple precinct. The administration’s next steps will determine how these arrangements are maintained as the festival continues.
