HAVERI: In the wake of reports in a section of media about "Bettale Seve" (worship in the nude) during the Dyamavvana Jatre in Havanur of Haveri taluk, Haveri Tahsildar T. Ramesh visited the village and conducted an inquiry.

The tahsildar spoke to several of the devotees and members of the Dyamavva Temple Trust to ascertain whether the reported "banned ritual" actually took place in the village during the fair held on Wednesday.

The tahsildar and a few officials went round the place and inspected the area surrounding the tank and the bathing place near the temple where, according to some newspapers, devotees came in nude to perform the ritual which they had vowed to undertake.

Bandh

Meanwhile, an undeclared bandh was observed in the village in protest against the few newspapers and a private television channel wrongly reporting that "Bettale Seve" had taken place during the fair.

The villagers, who had gathered in large numbers in front of the temple, urged the tahsildar to take appropriate action against the reporters and the newspapers concerned, which they said had published/broadcast a concocted report.

They maintained that the ritual, which was conducted during the jatra on Wednesday, was "Bevinuduge" (garment made of Neem leaves) which is worn over other clothes.

The devotees visit the temple in the "Bevinuduge", and after having darshan of the goddess, they change to their usual clothes after discarding the "Bevinuduge" and other clothes worn by them earlier, they said.

The alleged that without actually having information on the ritual and without crosschecking the facts, the reporters concerned had filed a faulty story and demanded an apology from them.

Members of Stree Shakti self-help groups and other organisations and the trustees of the temple submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar demanding action against the persons responsible for the wrong news reports.

The villagers also decided to take out a procession in Haveri on Saturday demanding action against what they termed as publication and broadcast of faulty reports.

Deputy Commissioner of Haveri Aditya Amalan Biswas has stated that based on the report of the tahsildar, action would be taken.

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