Priests performing ‘Cauvery Aarti’ at Triveni Sangama in T. Narsipur on Tuesday evening.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The ‘Cauvery Aarti’, as part of the 13th edition of Kumbh Mela at Triveni Sangama in T. Narsipur, was witnessed by a large number of people on Tuesday evening.

On a special platform put up for the spectacle at the “Snana Ghat” near Sri Agastheshwara Temple, a group of priests from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh performed the “aarti” to Cauvery river. The devotees gathered at the site raised slogans in favour of rivers Cauvery and Kapila.

The ritual began around 8 p.m. in the presence of heads of various religious mutts, including Shivarathri Deshikendra Swami of Suttur Mutt and Nirmalanandanatha Swami of Adichunchangiri Mutt, Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy, and Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy.

Nine priests performed the ‘aarti’. This is perhaps for the first time that ‘Cauvery Aarti’ was performed during the Kumbh Mela at T. Narasipur.

The State government has proposed to introduce ‘Cauvery Aarti’ permanently on the banks of the Cauvery. It is on the lines of ‘Ganga Aarti’. Brindavan Gardens is one of the sites identified for the ‘Cauvery Aarti’. Officials have been asked to prepare a blueprint on introducing the ‘Cauvery Aarti’.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, during his visit to the KRS dam in July last year, had announced ‘Cauvery Aarti’. As part of the plan, a team of legislators from Mandya, Mysuru, and Kodagu visited Varanasi and Haridwar to watch ‘Ganga Aarti’ and submit a report to the government. The team also included officials. Also, a team of priests from Varanasi were invited to assist the local officials in organising the ‘Cauvery Aarti’ besides identifying the spot on the river bank for the ceremony. The Congress government had planned to symbolically launch ‘Cauvery Aarti’ during Dasara celebrations at Srirangapatna last year.

The delegation submitted a comprehensive report on conducting the ‘Cauvery Aarti’, after visiting Haridwar and Varanasi on September 20 and 21 last year and watched the rituals conducted by priests during the ‘Ganga Aarti’. The proposed ‘Cauvery Aarti’ is expected to boost tourism in the region.