Baavi Basaveshwara Aradhana event held amid coronavirus scare

Hundreds of devotees took part in the Aradhana Mahotsava of ‘Sri Baavi Basaveshwara Udbhava Murthy Devaru’ at Baavi Basaveshwara Temple,
Monday amid Covid-19 scare.

The temple has a history of 400 years. It is located in Chikkakolatturu village at a distance of eight km from Shanivarasanthe.

The annual religious festival of the temple is held after Shivaratri and before Ugadi.

Despite the fear of coronavirus, a large number of people arrived from different villages in and around Shanivarasanthe and took part in the religious rituals.

There is a sacred pond wherein the devotees throw coins in the form of offering, for the fulfilment of their vows.

As per the age-old custom, the coins collected from the pond are utilised by the temple for the fair. Villagers contributed rice, jaggery, vegetables and coconuts to the temple, for the preparation of prasad.

It is said that the water flowing out of the idol of Udbhava Basavanna joins the sacred pond which is filled with water throughout the year. It is believed that the water in the pond has special properties. People carry this water in containers and provide it to ailing cattle to cure diseases.

However, compared to last year, the number of devotees who attended the fair was less owing to the threat of Covid-19.