'Hanuman' locked in ownership tussle

Fight between the families has left Lord Hanuman also in lurch!

The temple which has decades of history has been a popular place for devotees in city to seek blessings of Lord Hanuman. Hundreds throng the deity specially on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

However, the temple is locked since Saturday and family feud has reached the police station. Fight has arisen between priest S N Pandit and his sister-in-law Saraswathamma.

For more than 25 years now, Pandit has been regularly conducting the pooja rituals in the temple.

He conducted pooja as usual on Saturday, locked the temple and left home. To his shock, his lock was broken open and shutters were closed using other locks when he returned on Sunday.

In fact, the Chikka Anjaneya Jeernodara Samithi of which Pandit is a member, claims the ownership of the temple.

Pandit and his elder brother Krishnaswamy worked together conducting pooja rituals in temple 20 years ago till the death of Krishnaswamy. Following his death Pandit took over the affairs. Now, Saraswathamma, wife of Krishnaswamy has claimed her ownership on the temple and has locked the temple shutters.

She has also claimed to have the khatha issued by the corporation. When opposition party approached the MCC, it has washed its hands off saying the issue should be resolved by Muzrai department. Both have filed separate complaints at K R Police station.
Both the group have also locked the doors of the temple with separate keys from their side.
 “The temple was in a totally dilapidated state few years back.

The Jeernodara Samithi revived and restored the temple taking up several works in past 10-15 years,” says Umesh Kumar, member of Samithi who slammed the act of Saraswathamma. However, the woman was not available for comment.

Devotees disappointed

Meanwhile, the tiff between the family members has left the devotees disappointed, especially among the devotees who visit the temple regularly. “I start my day after offering a pooja to my lord here. I am upset since past three days,” auto driver Sridhar told Deccan Herald.

Vinay, a tailor by profession on Thyagaraja Road also expressed similar feelings saying he visited the temple every day before opening his shop. The feud is very nasty, he remarked.