Udupi: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar visited Uchila Sri Mahalakshmi Temple on Thursday after arriving at Mangaluru International Airport.
The temple’s administrative committee accorded him a traditional welcome with chande and dolu (drum) performances, a Huli Vesha (tiger dance) performance and a Purna Kumbha ceremony.
Congress leaders, including Minister U T Khader and Udupi district in-charge Minister Rizwan Arshad, were present during the visit.
Shivakumar’s visit comes amid the ongoing Navaratri and Dasara celebrations in coastal Karnataka. The Uchila Sri Mahalakshmi Temple is among the prominent religious centres in the region, drawing devotees during its annual festivities.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate ‘Mahila Dasara’, a programme celebrating women as part of the temple’s Dasara festivities.