From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Feb 7: For the second consecutive year, Karnataka’s Muzrai Board under BJP’s B S Yeddyurappa regime will be distributing Ganga Jal, believed to be the holy water from river Ganges, through the 3,000 and odd Muzrai temples spread across the state to devotees on Mahashivaratri Day on February 12.
The priests of all Shiva temples under the Muzrai Department have been instructed to hold special pujas on Mahashivaratri and distribute Ganga water to devotees, according to former Muzrai Minister S N Krishnaiah Setty.
Setty, who had to quit the Yeddyurappa regime to make way for accommodating the JD(S) strongman from Belgaum district Umesh V Katti into the cabinet under Operation Kamala, had been subsequently accommodated with the post of Karnataka Muzrai Board’s chairman, which also enjoys the ranks and perks of a cabinet minister.
It may be recalled that the former minister had made arrangements for distribution of 50,000 litres of Ganga water last year. He also distributed 3 lakh laddus on Vaikunta Ekadashi last year and directed all temples in the state were to offer special pujas immediately after the solar eclipse on January 26, 2009.
As many as 2,500 cans of Ganga Jal would arrive in Bangalore from the upper stream of Gangothri next week, Setty said.
The ‘holy’ water would be transported to all the taluk headquarters in plastic cans and be supplied to Shiva temples for distribution to devotees on Mahashivaratri from 6 pm onwards.
The money given by donors would be utilised for transporting the holy water, he said clarifying that the collections from Muzrai temples or from the state exchequer would not be touched.
"The Muzrai Board is merely acting as the facilitator in procuring the Ganga Jal and transporting it for distribution in the temples,’’ he said indicating that it would be purely a private but religious-oriented exercise.
Answering questions, he clarified that the Muzrai Board was in charge of only the Muzrai temples and he was not in a position to speak about other temples or places of worship belonging to other religions.
The former minister, hailing from Kolar district and totally loyal to Yeddyurappa, said devotees visiting Lord Venkateshwara temple in Tirupathi would be offered 50 % discount in deluxe buses from March 16.
Five buses would leave from Bangalore to Tirupathi daily and the price for single ticket is Rs
300 instead of Rs 600 for to and fro journey, he said indicating that donations given by the devotees
would be used for giving subsidised price ticket for devotees.