The administration of the revered Savadatti Yellamma Temple is in full swing with elaborate preparations to welcome an enormous influx of pilgrims for the upcoming Banada Hunnime festival. Authorities anticipate a massive turnout from Belagavi district, Maharashtra, and surrounding areas, requiring significant logistical planning to ensure a smooth and safe spiritual experience for all devotees.
Unprecedented Arrangements for Pilgrim Surge
Temple officials project that more than one lakh devotees will visit the hill shrine daily during the 15-day yatra period leading to the main event. The pinnacle is expected on Banada Hunnime itself, falling on January 13, when the footfall is estimated to surge to a staggering 8 to 10 lakh people. To manage this unprecedented crowd, a multi-faceted plan has been activated.
A critical focus has been on decongesting the approach to the temple. For this purpose, vehicle parking has been organized across nearly 100 acres of land at the foothills. In a novel initiative, a veterinary clinic will be operational on the hilltop for the first time. This facility will treat animals, particularly those used in bullock carts by devotees traveling from distant regions.
Enhanced Facilities for Devotee Comfort
Recognizing that footfall peaks four to five days before the main festival, authorities have bolstered core amenities. Darshan arrangements, sanitation, drinking water supply, and electrical lighting have all been significantly strengthened. To illuminate the entire hill area, high-mast lamps have been installed at 25 key locations, and additional water tankers have been deployed to meet the demand.
Accommodation has also been expanded to serve pilgrims. A total of 460 rooms are available for booking. While typically housing four devotees, the capacity per room has been temporarily increased to five or six during the jatra period. For those seeking a quicker darshan, special darshan will be facilitated through ticket purchases.
Health, Connectivity and Traffic Management
Ensuring the well-being of pilgrims is a top priority. The health department will establish dedicated medical centres for devotees. Furthermore, keeping devotees connected, cellphone-charging facilities have been set up at 20 different points across the temple premises, as confirmed by NS Cholin, an official of the Renuka Yellamma Temple Development Authority.
Traffic regulation has been given utmost importance to prevent bottlenecks, especially during peak hours. The temple will follow a specific schedule: special pujas will commence at 4 am, with darshan open to the public from 6 am to 4 pm. After a brief closure for rituals, the shrine will reopen from 6 pm until late night. Daily special pujas will be performed throughout the jatra.
With all necessary arrangements firmly in place, temple officials have stated that they are fully prepared as devotees are expected to start arriving from Monday, marking the beginning of this grand spiritual congregation.
