Hombuja (Hosanagara Taluk, Shimoga District, Karnataka), April 2, 2013: More than 10,000 people thronged to Hombuja to witness the annual rathotsava (rathayatra) of Lord Parshwanath and Goddess Padmavati on Tuesday the April 2, 2013 the day of Mulanakshatra which happens to be the birth day of Goddess Padmavati.
Devotees from across India had gathered at Hombuja to witness the rathayatra. Hombuja was fully Jam packed with devotees with many of them climbing the building around the Jain Math to witness the rathayatra. The city was completely immersed in bhakti with people regularly chanting the hymns & bhajans of Parshwanath & Padmavati. People from all walks of life and all ages involved themselves actively and slogans such as Bolo Padmvati Matha Ki Jai, bolo Parshwanath Bhagawan Ki Jai, Bolo Devendrakeerthi Bhattarakha Swamiji Ki Jai were heard enroute of the ratha.
His Holiness Swati Sri Devenrakeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji the pontiff of Hombuja first pulled the ratha along with other devotees at around 1 pm. This was followed by the Sri Vihara of rather from 3.00 pm onwards. The ratha moved through all the main roads of Hombuja. House holders had washed the roads i front of their houses with water & decorated them with artistic rangolis. It was indeed a feast to see the religious fervour of the devotees. They further offered pooja to the ratha when it passed through their houses. – Sri Kshetra Hombuja
