HD Kumaraswamy to perform rituals for nine days

JD(S) supremo and former PM HD Deve Gowda is also expected to take part in the rituals soon after his discharge from hospital

Former JD(S) chief minister HD Kumaraswamy will perform Mrutyunjaya Homa and Aayuta Chandi Yaga at his Bidadi farmhouse for nine days starting Friday.

Only family members will be allowed to attend these rituals that will be performed by a group of priests who have come from Andhra Pradesh.

JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda is also expected to take part in the rituals soon after his discharge from hospital.

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"Members of Kumaraswamy and HD Revanna's family will taking part in this. The family decided to do this after Gowda's hospitalisation. These rituals are normally performed for long life and good health," a source close to the Gowda family said.

Kumaraswamy, who is in Mysuru, will sit through the rituals before resuming the party's Pancharathna Yatre. "The rituals will be continued by other family members. Kumaraswamy will join back on the last day," the source said.

The Mrutyunjaya Home is believed to prevent uncertain death. The Ayutha Chandi Yaga is said to be an ancient ritual aimed at invoking Chandi or Durga, who is revered as the mother of all creation. This involves reciting verses of the Durga Saptashati 10,000 times.

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Apparently, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao advised Kumaraswamy to perform the Ayutha Chandi Yaga. Rao himself had performed this in 2016. Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samiti has a pre-poll truck with the JD(S) for the upcoming Assembly election.