SHIVAMOGGA: Kuruba community’s Kanaka Guru Peetha seer Eshwaranandapuri Swami on Saturday made a serious allegation that he was not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum of Chennakeshava temple at Bagur village in Hosadurga taluk, Chitradurga.
He also claimed that the temple wascleansed after he left the premises. The temple priest, however, denied the allegations. CM Siddaramaiah, who too belongs to the Kuruba community, said he is unaware of the development.
Speaking at the Chitradurga and Chikkamagaluru inter-district Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, organised by the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, at Sanehalli on Friday, the seer said swamijis too face discrimination.
“If I was aware that the temple belonged to the Endowments Department, I would have protested like Kanakadasa who was denied entry in Udupi temple. Instead of cleaning the temple, clean your minds,” the seer said.
He said he recently visited the temple along with other seers on Vaikuntha Ekadashi. “We were standing in front of the sanctum and sanctorum, but were stopped from entering. At the same time, women of priests’ families were inside the sanctum. I will never go to the Baguru Chennakeshava Swami temple again,” he vowed.
Temple priest Shrinivas Iyyengar told that the seer was not insulted. “Once the consecration is done, nobody, except priests and their family, are allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum. Also, the seer did not express his wish to enter the sanctum. He has been visiting the temple for over five to six years.”
Reacting to the priest’s statement, the seer said, “There should not be any untouchability in temples and mutts.” He, however, said the issue will be resolved amicably.