JOIN USA 'jinxed' case of complete extremities
Chamarajeshwara temple barely has money to buy oil and wicks to keep the lamps burning, and years have passed by since the ratha (car) even rolled out during most auspicious occasions; yet preparations are afoot for one of the most celebrated poojas in the history of the temple.
A whopping ` 20 lakh has been earmarked for the ‘Maha homa’ under the guise of ‘Ashta Mangala Prashne’ .
Located in the ‘jinxed’ Chamarajanagar, Chamarajeshwara temple is suffering officials’ apathy.
A superstition that has been making rounds for decades together is that any minister or chief minister who visits the city will lose power.
Hence, no ‘men in power’ visit the city. However, since Lord Chamarajeshwara is feared by those holding reins in the corridors of power, an ‘Ashtamangala Prashne’ was held in July last year. Three priests from Kerala had taken part in the event. Going by their suggestion, a ‘Homa’ is being held at the very premises.
Though long pending demands of providing facelift to the temple still lie pending, the amount of money spent on this Homa event sure raises questions. The pushkaranai awaits desilting and recharging, with the ratha awaiting some bolstering works on it to be able to roll out again. The suggestion of holding a Homa, apparently, was made by the priests owing to the fact that three nomadic tribal families living around the temple were wiped out in the last two decades, and this may have had a bearing on the powers of temple.
A priest on condition of anonymity told Deccan Herald that the Homa was being held at the behest of a influential minister who was at the helm of affairs. “A request has been made to the district adminstration from Chamarajeshwara Pooja Committee as well,” he said. District administration has okayed the event where Poorvaka Trikala Archane, Mahasankalpa, Shivapurana Parayana, Vishnu Sahasranama Parayana, Mahasudarshana Yaga, Aghora Mantrahavana, Vanadurga Mantrahavana, Mrityunjaya Yaga and Ganapati Yaga among others would he held between September 4 and 7. Attempts are on to bring the Chief Minister to Chamarajanagar.