CM Siddaramaiah sings 'Lavani', entertains audience at temple inauguration

Srirangapatna (Mandya dist): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sang a few lines of a 'Lavani' on Sri Annadaneshwara Swamy, much to the surprise of the audience, after inaugurating the renovated temple of Sri Annadaneshwara Swamy, at Allapattana, in Srirangapatna taluk, Mandya district, on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, Siddaramaiah said, the presiding deity was his family God (mane devru) and rendered a few lines of the Lavani, 'Allapattanadinda Mella Mellane Bandhe, Annadaneshwara...'

Recalling his younger days, Siddaramaiah said, "There is a folk dance 'Veerakunitha', performed during Siddarameshwara puja. I also joined classes to learn Veerakunitha. Later, Rajappa Meshtru took me and admitted me to the school for fifth standard. My education began like this. From then on, I have not failed anywhere".

Serving people is serving God

"I believe that serving the people is serving the God. Basavanna had said 'Body is the temple' (Dehave Degula). Basavanna had also said that there should not be any middlemen between the God and the people. Only by being humane, we get God's help. God does not help anyone who is inhuman", Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah said that education is important to eradicate caste and also to get financial and social empowerment. "When I presented the budget as the deputy chief minister for the first time, several people taunted me saying, 'how can one who cannot count sheep present a budget?' Now, I have presented 16 budgets. Hence, opportunity is important, and we should utilise them properly," he said.

MLAs Kadalur Uday, P Ravikumar, former MLA Vijayalakshmi Bandisiddegowda, MLCs Yathindra Siddaramaiah, Dinesh Gooligowda, and Madhu Madegowda were present.