Mangalore: Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir built by Janardhan Poojary's son to open on Oct 10

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)

Mangalore, Oct 7: The newly-constructed Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir at Kudroli Shree Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, built by Janardhan Poojary's son, will be inaugurated on Thursday October 10.

Addressing a press meet here on Monday October 7, managing trustee of the Temple Janardhan Poojary said, "The total cost of the temple has been borne by my son Santosh Poojary who is working for an multi-national company. The temple has been built from his hard-earned savings. The Prathisthapana Mahotsava of the temple will be held on Thursday, followed by the official inauguration by lighting the auspicious lamp by the dignitaries."

The Shirdi Sai Baba idol is made of marble and carved by Bharadwaj from Jaipur. The total height of the idol is about 5 ft 7.5 inches.

Speaking the appointment of widow priests at Kudroli Temple, he reiterated that the move aimed at overcoming stereotyped image of widows in society and bringing them to the mainstream and ending discrimination against them.

Stressing that Kudroli Temple follows the teachings of its founder Brahmashree Narayana Guru who preached that all are equal before god, Poojary said the appointment of priests gives widows not only dignity but also the status of mother.

The two widows who took over as priests in the Temple are Lamxi Shanthi (67), resident of Bantwal Mooda and Indira Shanthi(45) of Ballur, Puttur. They have been trained for priesthood by Lokesh Shanthi, a priest who has experience of training more than 50 priests. Two other priests at the Kudroli Temple have also been trained by him, he added.

He also reiterated that even married women or girls of any caste, creed or religion who want to become priests are welcome to take up training at the Temple.

H S Sairam, Raghavendra Kulur, advocate Padmaraj and Harikrishna Bantwal were present.