Subrahmanya: The Kukke subrahmanya Champa Shasthi season begun on Nov 22, ended on Dec 7 (Wednesday) with the lowered temple Flag, bringing down the celebrations to a stop.

On Wednesday, there was a divine Neeru-bandi (water filled vessel) ritual on the courtyard of the holy historic temple. No other temple has this religious function, somewhat like ‘Beating the Retreat’ in New Delhi after the Republic Day processions.

The final day programme had a Shesha Vahana in waters, on a Cart.

The temple elephant ‘Yashasvi’ was in great spirits with children playing in coloured waters, and the elephant happily rolling over waters on the courtyard, even pumping water from its trunk upon giggling kids surrounding the young elephant.

Devotees enjoyed these scenes of a bathing God (snake), an elephant, and merry-making children.

The “Sarpa-Samskara” service started on Dec 8, Thursday. But during the Jatra, it had been with-hold, and re-started as usual on Dec 8, when the Shasti Festival had ended.