The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Temple row: directive to State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Temple row: directive to State

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the Government to ensure that two groups of devotees of Lakshmi Janardhana Swamy Temple in Hassan district, who are at war with each other over the installation of a new deity in the temple, come to a compromise.

The court was hearing a petition by a group of devotees of the temple who have come together under a trust called the Vedanta Desika Trust of Bangalore and another petitioner, K.R. Mukandan, also of Bangalore.

The petitioners said the Lakshmi idol at Bylahalli, Salagama hobli in Hassan district, was the Kuladevathe (family goddess) of scores of villagers of Bylahalli and surrounding areas.

They said the temple was an ancient one and that the Srivaishnava saint Ramanujacharya visited the temple. Ramanujacharya’s disciples installed the idols of Nammalvar, Ramanuja, Vedanta Deshikachar and Prahalad. They said the rituals and customs of the temple were being performed as per the tradition of Vadagalai Sampradaya which was prescribed by the Parkala Math.

According to this tradition, there is no religious sanction for installing a new idol on the temple premises. However, in 1997 a group of devotees attempted to instal an idol of Somayaji. A majority of the devotees opposed this move and set up the Vedanta Trust. However, on September 15, 2005 the Government passed an order sanctioning the installation of a new idol. The trust and Mr. Mukundan filed a writ in the High Court challenging this order.

Justice Bopanna asked the Government to bring the two groups together, constitute a committee and sort out the contentious issue. He adjourned further hearing on the case.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka