Mysuru: Pilgrims undertaking the padayatra to the Malai Mahadeshwara Swamy Hill temple from Talabetta during the Mahashivaratri festival will be protected by specially deployed security teams equipped with guns, machetes, walkie-talkies and other field equipment. Authorities have strengthened safety arrangements along the forest route following a recent wildlife incident and in view of the expected heavy footfall.
The Malai Mahadeshwara Hills in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district is a major pilgrim centre that draws several lakh devotees every year for the Shivaratri Jatra Mahotsava, scheduled this year from February 14 to 18. With devotees arriving from across Karnataka and neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the district administration, Forest Department and MM Hills Temple Development Authority have jointly rolled out enhanced security and monitoring measures.
Security tightened after leopard incident
The stepped-up arrangements come after a devotee from Mandya district lost his life following a leopard attack along the padayatra route on January 22 near Rangaswamy Oddu. The incident had triggered concern among pilgrims and officials, prompting urgent review meetings at the district and state levels.
Forest personnel subsequently conducted a combing operation and captured the three-year-old male leopard using tranquilisation methods. Officials said the swift capture helped restore confidence among devotees planning to visit the hill shrine during the jatra period.
Following the incident, the Forest Minister and the district in-charge minister directed officials to implement additional safeguards for pilgrims while ensuring that forest and wildlife protection norms are also maintained.
Seven security teams deployed along route
Forest officials said seven dedicated teams have been formed to cover the Talabetta to MM Hills padayatra stretch, which is about eight km long. Each team will monitor approximately one km of the route and remain on active duty throughout permitted padayatra hours.
According to MM Hills Deputy Conservator of Forest Bhaskar, each team will consist of five members drawn from multiple departments. The composition includes one police personnel, one anti-poaching camp member, home guards and a representative from the MM Hills Temple Development Authority, along with forest staff.
Range Forest Officers will supervise the teams and coordinate response measures if any risk is detected along the route.
Each unit will be equipped with firearms, walkie-talkies, torchlights, firecrackers for deterrence, machetes and lathis. These tools are intended for rapid response and for driving away wild animals if they are sighted near the pilgrim path.
Mobile patrol and technology support planned
In addition to the static teams, mobile patrol units led by Deputy Range Forest Officers and forest guards will move along the padayatra corridor in two vehicles. These patrols will provide backup support and respond quickly to alerts from ground teams.
The Forest Department has also requested government approval to deploy a specialised leopard task force from Mysuru and drone surveillance teams during the festival period. Once cleared, drones will be used to monitor animal movement and sensitive forest patches along the route.
Officials said technology support will help in early detection and prevention of possible human-animal encounters and improve overall coordination.
Route inspection and pilgrim flow management
District authorities said joint inspections of the padayatra route have already been conducted. Based on field assessments, personnel are being stationed at vulnerable stretches and forest entry points.
A large number of devotees traditionally walk through interior forest routes after crossing the Cauvery and passing through areas such as Shagya and DM Samudra before reaching the hill temple. Special deployment is being ensured across these segments.
Officials stated that crowd regulation, wildlife monitoring and emergency response systems have been integrated into the overall festival plan.
Timings fixed, vehicle entry restricted
To improve safety, padayatra timings have been restricted from 7 am to 4 pm during the festival days. Walking beyond these hours will not be permitted so that pilgrim movement happens only in daylight with full supervision.
Vehicle restrictions have also been announced. From February 13 to 18, two-wheelers and three-wheelers, including autorickshaws, will be stopped at the Koudalli border to reduce congestion and risk along the forest approach roads.
Authorities said these measures are precautionary and aimed at ensuring smooth and safe movement of devotees.
Conclusion
With several lakh pilgrims expected for the Shivaratri and jatra celebrations, authorities have adopted a multi-layered security plan combining armed field teams, patrol vehicles, route supervision and proposed drone monitoring. Officials said the coordinated effort is intended to provide a safe pilgrimage experience while maintaining vigilance across the forest corridor leading to MM Hills.