GADAG: Halakere Annadaneshwar Mutt’s annual fair is unique. For the last 18 years, only women devotees have been pulling a silver chariot, which was a male prerogative till then. Women achievers are
felicitated and women-centric performances and symposia are organised as part of the fair. This year, the programmes will be inaugurated by Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar on Monday.
The fair draws hundreds of women from Halakere, surrounding villages and across the state. Every year, over 500 women achievers, including student toppers, are felicitated by the Mutt at the village, which is 40 km from Gadag town.
The ritual of women pulling the 165kg silver chariot started in 2005, when the previous seer invited schoolgirls and women farmers to pull the chariot as he wanted to give prominence to rural and urban women. The seer also extended the invitation to women writers, achievers and social activists to take part in the cultural programmes.
Every year, prominent women personalities from across the state are invited to deliver speeches and present musical performances. Also, women ministers or MLAs take the lead every year.