MADIKERI: The Mrityunjaya Temple Committee is yet to decide whether or not to allow entry to devotees wearing traditional Kodava attire. While a meeting was held by the temple committee members and other residents on Sunday, the meeting failed to conclude with any decision.
On Sunday, the temple committee alongside other leaders held an elaborate meeting at Maragodu VSSN hall to discuss the matter of allowing devotees’ entry into the temple wearing traditional attire, especially the devotees wearing the Kodava Kupya Chale. The meeting was held under tight police security.
Further, the meeting followed a peace committee held by the district administration over a week ago alongside leaders from Kodava and Gowda community.
Following a hint of communal unrest after a group of devotees wearing the traditional Kodava attire during the Mrityunjaya Temple festival were banned entry into the premises, the district administration called for a peace meeting even as the rituals inside the temple were being held under tight security.
The district administration had set a deadline as January 6 for the temple committee to arrive at an amicable decision. However, the meeting that was attended by Temple committee members alongside other local leaders failed to arrive at a decision.
The meeting was convened by the Temple Committee President Kattemane Shashi Janardhan, and a long discussion was held on the dress code and the developments that have taken place.
There were discussions for and against allowing Kodavas to come to the temple wearing kupya chale. After the meeting, the temple President Janardhan opined that the main demand of the Kodavas in the meeting was to allow them to wear Kupya chale. However, a decision could not be taken in the meeting.
Many people opposed the move of letting devotees in traditional attire to the temple. The opposition was in par with the temple bylaws that did not allow any section of the society to enter the temple in their traditional dress except the wearing Dhotis for the men devotees.
A report on the meeting is yet to be submitted to the district administration. “The temple committee has not yet submitted the report. A decision can be taken only after a detailed report is submitted by the concerned,” confirmed DC Venkat Raja.