Karkala: Ravi Shastri visits his ancestors' place Karvalu
Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala
Karkala, Apr 17: India's star commentator and former Test cricketer made his sixth visit to Lord Mahavishnumurty Temple and Nagabana in Karvalu near here on Wednesday April 17.
Busy with IPL cricket commentary, Shastri arrived from Bangalore, after commentating in the exciting Bangalore - Hyderabad match in Bangalore on Tuesday night.
Shastri’s ancestors belonged to Karvalu, and the above deities are the ones they reposed faith in, and used to worship as family deities. He had visited the place seven years ago along with his wife, and offered special puja to the serpent god. The couple, which had remained without any issue for long, got it’s daughter, Alaika, thereafter. Since then, he has been visiting the place annually and performing puja here.
He offered special puja and performed other rituals this time too.
On the occasion, Temple Trust president Somashekar Rao felicitated Shastri with a shawl.
Manohar Prasad, well known journalist, who is also a relative of Ravi Shastri spoke about former cricketer and his annual visit to Karvalu.
"Ravi has great faith in his ancestral place, the temple and the people here. He is a great devotee of this Temple," said Prasad.
Later speaking to daijiworld, Shastri said that through IPL, lots of young players are getting a chance to enter the national team.
In reference to some of the recent on-field controversies, he said, "The recent spat between Indian players was not serious. On the field, such things happen sometimes, but when the players get back to the dressing room, they forget the on-field differences. Even I used to do same during my cricketing day."
"India will do well in the South Africa tour which is scheduled for this year end. I had earlier predicted that India would beat Australia, and that is what happened," he said.
"Hard work, focus, and consistency make a successful cricketer," he said.