Chikkamagaluru: A three day Datta jayanthi worship of the sandals of the 3 headed God Dattatreya at Bababudan (Datta) Giri near here on the hills has come to an end on Monday (yesterday), with 8000 devotees making the trip as devout Hindus in a festival organised by RSS family.
Heavy mist and biting cold did not deter their determination and faith in reaching the caves in an uphill task. A scheduled Datta Homa (ritual fire worship) could not, however, be conducted in view of cold weather outside the caves shrine.
Security arrangements were elaborate and no chances were taken. Worshippers had to pass metal barricades to detect weapons if any, before they entered the shrine. Vehicles were parked away but traffic jams took place, nevertheless, as buses plied in large numbers carrying enthusiastic pilgrims to the shrine on a hill.
Local MP, D.V Sadananda Gowda and MLAs Ravi and P. Kumaraswami from BJP were in the jostling, necklace wearing crowds. Heads of Mutts also made the journey with faithful devotees at large in a cold atmosphere.