Karnataka's Muzrai dept orders temples under it to hold special puja on Jan 22

Muzrai and Endowments Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Sunday that the government had issued an order to organise special pujas in all Muzrai temples in the state on January 22, the day of the consecration of Ram mandir in Ayodhya. 

Reddy told reporters that the Muzrai department had issued a circular in this regard already.

“For centuries, Lord Rama has been celebrated as the ideal man (Aadarsha Purusha, Maryada Purushottama). People have built lakhs of temples in his name across the country. Karnataka is no different. In every village, one can find temples of Rama, Hanuman and Shiva. So, we will respect the sentiments of lakhs of devotees,” he said.

The government had organised such special pujas in the past too, Reddy said.

“Special pujas were organised on Ugadi last year. I will direct the department to organise similar pujas on Sankranti day too,” he said.

“I would like to remind the BJP that it was former prime minister, the late Rajiv Gandhi, who had got the locks of the Ram temple site opened in Ayodhya,” the minister said.

Terming this move by the government as devotees’ victory, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said in a post on X that finally, the Congress had bowed down to the faith and devotion of Kannadigas towards Lord Rama.