Millennium's first Panchalinga Darshana from tomorrow

Talakad, Karnataka, Nov 19 (UNI) After a long gap of 13 years, lakhs of Shaivites will visit the five Shiva temples, submerged in sand dunes in and around this tiny historic town on the Karthika Bahula Amavasya day, on the occasion of 'Panchalinga Darshana', tomorrow.

The district authorities have made elaborate arrangements to celebrate the religious event which would go on for 25 days. The festival was expected to attract over 20 lakh devotees.

Getting a glimpse of the five shivalingas, representing the five faces of Shiva, was believed to be auspicious. These temples, buried under vast stretches of sand dunes, were excavated only during the festival. Determined by the Hindu almanac, the most auspicious day to get a glimpse of the five lingas was believed to be Karthika Bahula Amavasya when sun and moon enter Vrischika Rasi.

Anointing of the Shivalingas with various items like water, milk, saffron, sandalwood and curd mark the festivities. The devouts take a holy dip in river Cauvery, flowing adjacent to the town, and go round all the five temples.

Mysore Deputy Commissioner S Selva Kumar told UNI that ''we are expecting around five lakh devotees tomorrow alone. The State Government is spending Rs 45 crore for the arrangements, including upgrading the nearly 311 km road leading to Talakad, electrification, sanitation and health facilities.'' He said the administration had made temporary sanitation and drinking water facilities for devotees at various points. Nearly 1,000 toilets had been constructed, besides sheds for changing near bathing places.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation had made special arrangements to run over 400 additional buses to Talakad from various parts of the State. It had announced a special package tour from Bangalore and Mysore to visit all the five lingas and nearby places from today.

Mr Kumar said as many as five public health centres have been set up to take care of the health needs of the devotees. The district authorities have suggested that the area be declared as epidemic-prone and all the visitors entering the region within five km radius of Talakad be immunised against epidemics as a precautionary measure.

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