BENGALURU: With Lok Sabha polls approaching, temples have become the most preferred destinations for our netas. And this isn’t restricted to one particular politician or a party. A source close to JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda family say that each member of the family has their favourite Gods. While Aradanahalli Eshwara in Holenarasipura is their kuladevata (family deity), the family also believes in visiting the senior pontiff at the Sringeri Mutt for suggestions and blessings. While Gowda’s sons H D Revanna and H D Kumaraswamy visit the Lakshminarasimha Swamy Temple in Holenarasipura often, Anita Kumaraswamy believes in Maddur’s Hole Anjaneya.
“Revanna first crushes four limes under the wheels of his car before he sets out anywhere. He doesn’t do anything during the rahukalam (considered inauspicious). A vermillion-sprinkled lemon and a black thread in his pocket and a cardamom chain around his neck is a must before he steps out,” the source added. Whenever the Gowda family sees any political career being at stake they rush to do a special havan for 11 days called the athi rudra yaaga at Sringeri.
And in the Congress camp, minister D K Shivakumar’s favourite is the Mookambika Temple in Kollur where chandika homa is performed regularly. He also visits the Kabalamma Temple in Kanakapura taluk often. “There was a time when people in power did good work fearing the anger of God. Now, politicians think they can do any wrong and be forgiven by offering gifts to God,” said a priest from the Kukke Subramanya Kshetra.
Union minister Sadananda Gowda, Shivakumar, Deve Gowda and state BJP chief Yeddyurappa are regulars here. BJP chief Amit Shah also had visited the temple recently. Interestingly, Siddaramaiah, who has said in the past that he isn’t an atheist but is against superstition, also has visited Kukke.Emoor Bhagavathy temple, which is located on the outskirts of Palakkad, Kerala, is also thronged by netas from Karnataka. The deity in this temple is Goddess Parvathi who is in the form of two palms. It is said that after the Emergency, when former PM Indira Gandhi lost the election, she heard about the temple and chose palm as the Congress symbol.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Sadananda Gowda is a regular at many Bengaluru temples. Other than regular pujas, rituals like Bhoota Kola — an occult ceremony meant to appease dissatisfied spirits — is usually done at his house in Devaragunda, Sullia, Dakshina Kannada, sources said. Meanwhile, Kolar MP Muniyappa regularly makes offerings in temples across the country. Umesh Jadhav, even before resigning as Chincholi MLA and from the primary membership of the Congress, visited his family deity Amba Bhavani of Tulajapur of Maharashtra.
However, mutts are also in demand. Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru has provided the platform to the BJP to launch it’s ‘dharma yuddha’ against JD(S). Kadusiddeshwara Mutt in Tiptur also attracts politicians like Yeddyurappa, V S Somanna (BJP), N Cheluvarayaswamy (JD-S), and Shivakumar. Netas here perform rituals such as mrutyunjaya homa.
(With inputs from V Velayudham, Prakash Samaga, Shreyas HS, Marx Tejaswi, G Subash Chandra, Ramkrishna Badseshi)