Kalaburagi: The 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi of Sharanabasaveshwar Samsthan Dr Sharnbaswappa Appa and chairperson of the Sharnabasaweshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Matoshree Dr Dakshayini Avva said: “The historic 203rd Sharanabasaveshwar Yatra and Sharanabasaveshwar rathotsava would be held on March 19, commemorating the 203rd death anniversary of the saint and social reformer Lord Sharanabasaveshwara, who was an embodiment of sacrifice and who made the spirit of dasoha culture a way of life among the people of the region”.
The day would also commemorate the 203rd anniversary of the ascension of the holy order (Peetarohana) of the successive Mahadasoha Peetadhipathis after Lord Sharanabasaveshwara.
The rathotsava would be preceded by the drawing of the smaller version of the ratha which is popularly known as Uchchayi, they said.
Display of Prasada Battalu
They said people from across the country and abroad cutting across the communal lines converge at the Sharanabasaveshwar Shrine complex to witness the historic event of the display of the silver bowl (Prasada Battalu) used by the saint.
The Prasada Battalu which is displayed once in a year during the car festival would be displayed to the devotees by Dr Appa and Chiranjivi Appa to signal the beginning of the rathotsava.
Along with the Prasada Battalu, the devotees would also get a chance to have a glimpse of the ‘Linga Sajjike’ (the casket made of pure sandalwood used by Lord Sharanabasaveshwar for keeping the Linga).
Devotees from various districts in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and the various parts of Karnataka throng the shrine to be part of the annual Yatra and the rathotsava in which the idol of the Sharnabasaveshwar is placed in a flower-bedecked ratha and drawn to a distance inside the sprawling shrine complex by the devotees.
Thousands of devotees walk the entire distance from their villages to fulfil their vows.
Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha secretary Basavaraj Deshmukh said, as part of the rathotsava, three books on the various facets of the life of the 7th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Poojya Doddappa Appaji, the 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi Poojya Dr Sharanabaswappa Appaji and the 9th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Chiranjivee Doddappa Appaji would be released.
Exhibition
The rathotsava would be followed by an exhibition in the Yatra Maidan opposite the shrine, which has been organised by the Samasthan for the past more than 200 years.
Traders from all over the country put up their stalls in the exhibition.
Another feature of this year’s ratotsava is that a drama on the life and times of Lord Sharanabasaveshwar would be played for three days-- a day preceding Ugadi, on the day of Ugadi and a day after Ugadi.
No donation box
The mortal remains of the 19th-century social reformer Sharanabasaveshwar are enshrined in the temple and Sharanabasaveshwar shrine is one of its kind in the entire region which does not have any donation box (hundi) which is an integral part of the temple all over. Tens of thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrine to have darshan of the gaddige and idol of Lord Sharanabasaveshwar are also dissuaded from offering any money to the pujaris at the time of offering aartis and other religious rituals.
Instead, the devotees, particularly the farmers in the region donate a portion of their harvest from their agricultural fields to the shrine for providing free food to the devotees visiting the shrine every day.
The selfless service of the saint Sharanabasaveshwar during the worst-ever famine in the 19th century in the region which claimed scores of lives had transformed Sharanabasaveshwara from an ordinary soul to a saint. Saint Sharanabasaveshwar gave new meaning to the culture of Dasoha (mass feeding) during the 18th-century famine. He used to personally visit the houses of the affluent and collect foodgrains to feed the poor at gruel centres.
Awards
Dr Avva said, as part of the annual yatra and rathotsava, Dr Appa has decided to confer the prestigious Appa Award on Dr Sidda Totendra Shivacharyara Mahaswamigalu of Kori Siddeshwara Mutt in Nalwar in Chitapur taluk in Kalaburagi district and Dasoha Jnana Ratna Award on Aland MLA Mr B R Patil in recognition of their immense contribution to the society. The award carries a cash award of Rs 51,000 each and a plaque and a commendation certificate.