Odave Gantu!!!

Brought up around Hassanamba temple, we were always fond of this place... Of late the popularity during Deepavali has grown so much that we often skip visiting the temple during Deepavali, for the heavy crowd.. Do check my detailed post about Hasanamba temple and Deepavali

Nandi Kolu 

Nandi idol on Nandi Kolu

Siddeshwara swamy procession on Balipadyami was one big night out for us, still remember my uncle was one of those very few who knew how to balance and dance with Nandi kolu. The Nandi kolu is a long pole with idol of Nandi at the bottom and an orange flag at the top. Its an art in itself to balance such long, heavy pole. Shaking the pole in a rhythm generates the music of the bells attached to the pole. Nandi kolu Kunitha(dance) used to be part of Veeragase troop who narrated the story of Daksha Yagna through dance. The procession used to start by 10 at night on Padya and end next morning back at temple.

Odave gantu procession on bidige(next day of Balipadyami) was something we always waited for. Just before the temple is closed for the year, the jewelry (odave) offered to goddess is tied in a cloth(gantu) and taken to the pandith's house to offer aarti and taken back to the temple premises.. The jewelry is then kept in govt treasury at District Commisioner's office, only to be brought back next year during Deepavali.. This procession was always considered very auspicious and madi(couldn't be touched by others) which included only brahmin purohiths in wet cloths.. The procession used to walk through the raj beedi(main street) and most of the devotees offered offerings on the way.

As kids, only if we had holiday on bidige we waited since morning for this procession.. Today somehow I squeezed myself into the temple premises to watch the procession, to relive my childhood days..