After the darshan of Malemadeshwara in the temple, devotees — on their way to the dining hall — offer pooja to the Basava. Some devotees pour milk on the idol.
Vendors encourage offerings of milk, butter, oil, coins and garlands of currency notes. Due to the offerings of milk, butter and oil the Basava is losing its outer layer of stone and thus disfigured. The state endowment department officials are yet to wake up to the problem.
There is practice among the devotees to offer the milk of the initial days when their cattle deliver calves. Even otherwise a lot of milk, butter and oil go waste. All that flows gets accumulated in the surroundings and begins to stink after. a while The devotees have to inevitably pass through this.
If the milk, butter and oil is offered to the temple committee, it could be used for mass feeding programme (anna dasoha). It would also keep the surroundings clean, said Shankar, a devotee from Bangalore.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks