Mridangam maestro T.K. Murthy to receive Sree Guruvayurappan Chembai Award

Entertainment

Hasanamba Temple draws thousands of devotees

You don’t have any Active Subscription. Subscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one. Your active subscription(s) Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription Products you've access to Additional Subscription Benefits Need help with your subscription? Updated - October 30, 2026 06:23 pm IST - Shivamogga Devotees gathering at the Hasanamba Temple in Hassan on Thursday, marking the commencement of the annual festival. | Photo Credit: Prakash Hassan The Hasanamba Temple, opened to devotees on Thursday as part of the Hasanamba festival, drew thousands of people on Friday. Many of them, particularly residents of Hassan, began queuing as early as 4 a.m. for darshan of the deity. Devotees who bought ₹300 entry tickets also had to wait three to four hours to reach the sanctum sanctorum. Senior officials, including Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari and Superintendent of Police Shubhanwita, were seen managing the crowd. Those in the queue recalled the arrangements made last year under the leadership of Krishna Byre gowda. While they appreciated this year’s arrangements, they said the queue moved very slowly. The district administration had promised darshan within half an hour, but failed to keep that promise, they said. Last year, they added, devotees had darshan in far less time. They said last year, the devotees could have the darshan of the deity in less time compared to the duration they spent this year. Meanwhile, Minister K.M. Shivalinge Gowda objected to the sale of laddu prasada at ₹100 each. He visited the stall where the laddus were being sold and expressed serious displeasure. He said the laddu contract had been awarded to ISKCON, which supplied them at around ₹56 each, and the temple administration should sell them at the same price without making a profit. The Minister said he would stage a dharna himself if the laddus continued to be sold at an exorbitant price. Speaking to the media, he said the administration was not there to make a profit from laddus. “If there are additional expenses, the deity will look after us. We will somehow arrange funds from the government through the Muzrai Department. But we are not ready to make the public pay more for prasada,” he said. Among the elected representatives who visited the temple on the day included former Minister A. Manju and MLC Suraj Revanna. Mr. Suraj Revanna alleged that he had received no meeting notice or phone call about the festival preparations. “I will raise the issue in the Legislative Council,” he said. He recalled that when Mr. Byre Gowda was the Minister in-charge of Hassan, he held meetings in both Bengaluru and Hassan and invited him to them. This time, he alleged, there had been no communication at all. On Thursday, the first day of the festival, the district administration organised a musical programme at Hemavathi Statue Circle to mark the inauguration. A rapper performed popular songs. Mr. Shivalinge Gowda, MP Shreyas Patel, Ms. Lathakumari and others attended. The Deputy Commissioner was seen dancing to popular Kannada film songs with the youth participating in the event. Interestingly, during the preparations Mr. Shivalinge Gowda had said the administration would avoid unnecessary expenditure, as the State was facing severe drought. The music programme drew mixed reactions on social media. While some appreciated the event, others questioned whether it was necessary when farmers were struggling with drought. Published - October 30, 2026 06:20 pm IST Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

The Hindu·3 hours ago·3 min read

Entertainment

Arkansas court upholds $3m award for 1.62 acres after 11-year road dispute

A long-standing legal dispute in Arkansas involved a land acquisition that significantly impacted property access. The Arkansas Court of Appeals recently upheld a $3 million jury compensation award related to this case. The case emerged after the Arkansas State Highway Commission's project restricted access to a property owned by the William Major Lewis Trust. Evidence submitted demonstrated that the remaining property value was adversely affected by the highway work.

Times of India·4 hours ago·5 min read

Entertainment

Virat Kohli for a cracker-free Diwali? Supreme Court suggests celebrity-led campaign to curb pollution

The SC has suggested approaching Virat Kohli and other celebrated cricketers to lead a public awareness campaign for a cracker-free Diwali. The court's remarks came as it questioned the effectiveness of repeated firecracker restrictions.

Mint·5 hours ago·1 min read

Mridangam maestro T.K. Murthy to receive Sree Guruvayurappan Chembai Award

More stories

Hasanamba Temple draws thousands of devotees

Arkansas court upholds $3m award for 1.62 acres after 11-year road dispute

Virat Kohli for a cracker-free Diwali? Supreme Court suggests celebrity-led campaign to curb pollution