Covid curbs stifle Ekadasi celebrations across Mysuru

MYSURU: Devotees celebrated Vaikuntha Ekadashi on Thursday while adhering to Covid safety guidelines and restrictions by offering special pujas at Venkateshwara temples across the city.
Despite restrictions for distribution of prasada, theertha, devotees had darshan of Lord Venkataramanaswamy. Tight police security was deployed at various Vishnu temples for crowd management.
Avadootha Datta Peeta seer Ganapathi Sacchidananda Swami and junior pontiff Datta Vijayananda Theertha Swami conducted special pujas at 5am at Venkateshwara temple at the Ganapathi Sacchidananda Asharam.Devotees were allowed to enter the temple after special pujas.
At any given time, only 25 devotees were allowed to enter through north gate of the temple to have darshan of Lord Venkateshwara decorated with special flowers. Krishnaraja MLA SA Ramdas and others also visited the temple.
Devotees also visited the Yoga Narasimhaswamy temple at Vijayanagar. Chief priest Bhashyam Swamiji conducted special pujas. The Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple on Kalidasa Road was closed for devotees due to Covid restrictions. Entry at Sri Kalyana Venkaramana temple at Kalyanagiri was also restricted to a few devotees.