Mangalore : The well known ‘Mangalore Car Festival’ or ‘Kodial Theru’ is been celebrated with splendor and religious zeal for five days by the Gowd Saraswat Brahmin Communities in the city.
The ‘Dwajarohana’ or the flag with the symbol of Lord Hanuman on a silver plaque or ‘Kodi’ hoisted at the ‘Dwajastambha’on the first day to ruin the evil power and protect deities from the difficulties arise during the occasion.
This is the wonderful occasion where the large number of devotees witness to get a glimpse of Lord Venkateshwara and Goddess Padmavati’s idol taken for five rounds the procession in the golden palanquin around the premises accompanied with musical instrumentalists and people reciting Bhajans.
Later, the idols are brought out of the premises and ascended at the ‘Brahma Ratha’ placed in front of Shri Venkataramana Temple at Godhooli Lagnam in the evening.
The ‘Mriga Bete’ will be conducted at the night on the fourth day of car festival when the volunteers accompany the procession before the deities are taken in ‘Brahmaratha’.
The ‘Ratharohana’ is considered as the holiest among all the ceremony performed during Car festival which signifies the marriage of Lord Venkatramana and Goddess Padmavathi. It provides an opportunity for the devotees to offer flowers and fruits to the deities, climbing the steps of sanctified ‘theru’, maintaining the long queue.
As soon as the ceremony of ‘Ratharohana’ completes, people rush to the temple premises for the delicious meal served in the form of ‘prasadam’. The special dishes served in the plantain leaf add extra taste for the food. The dish like ‘Dhali Thove’ made out of dal is the main attraction on the occasion for the entire five days banquet. Large number of youths and children volunteer themselves to serve the food for thousands of people.
The temple management also provides the ‘Ganji Oota’ or ‘Pejje Jevan’ accompanied with chutneys, upkaris, and pickles for the people in the morning as a part of ceremony.
The ‘Brahma Ratha’ hailing the deities is been pulled by the devotees till the dead end of Car street and back to the temple square again on the fifth day.
The ‘Okkuli’ is celebrated at the sixth day and last day of the car festival, where the devotees enjoy the playing with colours with friends and family. People enjoy dancing through out the day and accompany the procession of newly married deities. Men eating ‘Bhang’ laddoo or drinking Bhang milk is considered as the tradition of the particular day which is optional. The procession concludes with the bathe of deities at lake at Srinivas Patshala compound and back to the temple.
Lowering the flag or ‘Kodi’ on last day symbolizes the completion of the car festival with a huge success and grand celebration.