Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday visited the Chamundi Hills here and offered prayers to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysore. He was accompanied by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijeayendra.

Official sources said Shah prayed to Lord Ganesh before worshiping Chamundeshwari, who is also regarded as ‘Naada Devate’ (god of the country), and priests were present chanting Sanskrit hymn. After praying, he performs a “pradakshina” (circle in a clockwise direction) around the temple.

The goddess known as “Chamundi” or “Durga” is the ferocious form of “Shakti” and the slayer of demons “Chanda” and “Munda” as well as “Mahishasura” (buffalo-headed monster). In preparation for the home minister’s visit, elaborate security arrangements have been made around the temple and on the routes leading to the temple from the city.

The more than 1,000-year-old temple began as a small shrine and gradually gained importance over the centuries as a major place of worship, officials said. They say that it assumed importance after the Wodeyars, the princes of Mysore, came to power in 1399 AD and they were great devotees and admirers of Chamundeswari, Chamundeswari Chamundeswari became their household god and gained religious fame.

Shah arrived in the “palace city” in the early hours of Sunday and had visited nearby Sutturu earlier in the day to attend the Sutturu Jathra (fair). Later in the day, he was scheduled to attend a meeting with members of the BJP’s core committee and leaders of the party’s Mysore cluster.

The meetings have assumed significance ahead of this year’s parliamentary elections. The BJP and JD(S) have formed an alliance and decided to fight the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka together. The two parties are engaged in seat-sharing negotiations.

The BJP won 26 of the total 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the 2019 polls, including party-backed independent Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya. Congress and JD(S) got one seat each.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)