BENGALURU: Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji, head of the Adichunchanagiri Mutt, is the only ‘invitee’ from Karnataka to attend the Bhoomi Puja, or the foundation-laying ceremony, of Ram Temple at Ayodhya on Wednesday.
BJP sources said that apart from the Adichunchanagiri seer, the invites were also sent to two other personalities from the state -- Vishwaprasanna Theertharu of Pejawar Mutt, who is also a member of the Shrirama Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, and Dr Veerendra Heggade of Dharmasthala.
Vishwaprasanna Theertharu is not travelling to Ayodhya as he is observing the Chaturmaasa Vratha in Udupi. It’s a four-month ritual, which begins from Ashada, and the seer is not allowed to travel during the vratha. But the reason for Veerendra Heggade’s absence is not known.
Pralhad, Santhosh not invited to Bhoomi Puja
Adichunchanagiri Mutt sources said, “The seer will take a flight to Lucknow from Bengaluru on Tuesday morning. He is likely to stay at the mutt branch in Varanasi and proceed to Ayodhya on Wednesday.”
Interestingly, Union Parliamentary Minister Pralhad Joshi and BJP National General Secretary B L Santhosh, who too are from the state, have not been invited, which was confirmed by sources in their offices. Both the leaders are now in Delhi.
Members of various religious organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, are sending water from different rivers, including Cauvery, Krishna, Tunga-Bhadra and Nethravathi, and also soil from religious places where prominent temples are situated, including Chamundeshwari Temple in Mysuru, Manjunatha Temple in Dharmasthala and Krishna Temple in Udupi, to Ayodhya. The historic ceremony will have around 200 invitees, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and around 50 saints from across the country.
Scholar who fixed muhurta gets threat calls
Belagavi: Belagavi scholar N R Vijayendra Sharma, who fixed the muhurta (auspicious time) for the Ram temple event, has allegedly received anonymous threat calls. The callers allegedly threatened the scholar to withdraw the muhurta fixed for the ceremony.