Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)

Udupi, Sep 12: Puranas tell us that Udupi, Bhakta Kanakadasa, and Lord Sri Krishna are inseparably interconnected. If we could conceptualise such a scenario at this modern times, and if the Lord and his devotee had appeared in the city in person before us, it would have been a celestial experience.

On Friday, when everyone was happily celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, a devotee of Lord Krishna made a surprising appearance. He had the customary Tilak on his forehead, a garland of Rudraksh around his neck, a tambourine and cymbals in hand, a shawl on his shoulder, with the traditional attire of white Panche and knapsack on the other shoulder, was seen at the Car Street here. People were dumbstruck at his sight.

Everyone could understand that he was Bhakta Kanakadasa. A little later, they started to think who had come there in the garb of the famed devotee of Sri Krishna. It transpired that well-known entrepreneur and proprietor of Kalkura Builders and Developers, Ranjan Kalkur, had turned himself into Bhakta Kanakadasa.

As per the COVID guidelines, it had been decided to celebrate Ashtami with the presence of minimum devotees. Therefore, cultural programmes were cancelled. Only a few personally appeared in different costumes and entertained the people.

For the first time, Kalkur appeared as Kanakadasa and his appearance was quite convincing. When the golden chariot in which the idol of Lord Krishna was seated was pulled, he walked with the people and won a lot of laurels.

Kalkur, who has always been involved with one social service initiative or the other, had provided clean and good quality food to the poor people free of cost during the corona times through Indira canteen, and responded to the problems of the common people.