Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Oct 15: The state High Court, through an order, has restrained the deputy commissioner (DC)of Udupi district from interfering with religious procedures being followed within the premises of Kollur Goddess Mookambika Temple. The order was issued by Justince Mohana Shantana Goudar, while hearing a writ petition moved by temple chief priest, Manjunath Adiga.

The DC, who happens to be the administrative officer of the temple, as the governing council of the temple is not in force at present, had ordered for the shifting of the venue of procedures like Sankalpa (vow), offering of coconut and fruits, offering of ghee lamp to the Goddess, room of offerings (Naivedya) and the place where sandalwood pieces are ground to make sandal paste, from in front of the sanctum sanctorum to outside. DC, Hemalata, had also ordered that only the dignitaries as identified by the district administration should be allowed to have the special darshan of the Goddess. “The DC enforced the decision, overlooking the objections raised. The puja procedures as ordained in Vijayagama Shastra are being followed in the temple. The order, besides creating problems for the devotees, also renders it difficult for the priests of the Goddess to maintain personal sanctity as stated in the above Shastra,” the petition had averred. It was further argued that as an administrator, the DC has the right only to interfere with the administration of the temple, and not with regard to religious rituals and procedures, it added.

Questioning the above order dated May 11 this year, a writ petition had been filed in the High Court, arguing that the decision of the DC is tantamount to interference in the religious activities of the temple. It was also alleged in the petition that this order had created problems for the devotees and the priests of the temple. The order also had specifically barred those donors who perform Golden Chariot Service, Chandika Homa, Maha Puja, Annadana and other services to the Goddess, from being extended the facility of special darshan.

Many people closely associated with the temple had of late, been disturbed by various steps being taken in the temple to meddle with the puja procedures that are in place since thousands of years. There has been widespread protest to various changes made in the temple like changing of the path of circumambulation, disallowing outer light that used to fall in the sanctum sanctorum, breaking of the well, removing of the ‘Shankaracharya Peetha’ from the sanctum sanctorum etc.