HARADANAHALLI(HASSAN) / MANGALURU: It was a day of special pujas and elaborate rituals for Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy who devoted his entire day for temple rounds on Monday.
Starting the day well before sunrise he offered special pooja for family deity at the Eshwar (Deveshwara) Temple in Haradanahalli village of Holenarasipur taluk, a ritual former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s family has been performing for the past several decades on first Shravana Somavara(first Monday of the holy month of Shravana).
Gowda, his wife Channamma Devegowda, Anita Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna took part in the elaborate puja rituals that went on for over one and a half hours. It included Rudrabhisheka and Sankalpa at Eshwara temple. Interestingly minister Revanna’s wife Bhavani and son Prajwal did not participate in the puja rituals which were performed by a Group of Five priests from Sringeri in the name of Deve Gowda, Channamma, Kumaraswamy and Anita Kumaraswamy.
The priest also performed pooja for the ‘B’ Forms to be distributed for the candidates of Urban local body elections in the state on the occasion. According to priests, it is believed that the wish of the devotees would be fulfilled if this special puja is performed on Shravana Somavara.
Kumaraswamy also offered special pooja at the Lakshmi temple in Holenarasipur town and Ranganatha temple at Mavinakere Hill shrine. Interestingly HD Revanna has supervised the entire rituals and directing the priest to perform different types of pooja as per the time fixed earlier. HD Devegowda and CM HD Kumaraswamy have strictly followed the instructions of Revanna while offering pooja. Later, the Chief Minister along with his family offered prayers at Shrikshetra Dharmasthala on Monday. After offering prayers at the temple, Kumaraswamy called on the Dharmathikari of Shrikshetra Dharmasthala temple, D Veerendra Heggede.