From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Feb 18: Former BJP Muzrai Minister S N Krishnaiah Setty, who is also the Chairman of the Karnataka State Muzrai Board, has made arrangements for distributing holy water from the river Ganges, Ganga Jal, at all Shiva Temples in the State on Mahashivaratri Day on Monday.
 
Setty, who was arrested and sent to jail along with his mentor and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and is now on bail, has been distributing Ganga Jal in all Shiva temples to all Shiva devotees in the State for the fourth consecutive year.

Priests of all Shiva temples coming under the Muzrai Department have been instructed to hold special pujas on Mahashivaratri and distribute Ganga water to devotees.

Nearly 3,000 temples, including the ones run by private managements, in all the 176 taluks would be provided the holy water, the former minister told reporters on Saturday.

The Ganga water would reach temples on Sunday evening, a day ahead of Shivaratri, he said.

Setty said two tankers containing 60,000 litres of water would arrive in Bangalore from Bhramakund near Haridwar Sunday.

Expenditure incurred for bringing water from the Himalayan region was Rs 15 lakh and the entire cost would be borne by Setty.

The holy water would be allocated to all temples on district-wise basis from Sri Rameshwara Swamy Temple at Chamarajpet in the city at 11.30 am on Sunday, he said.

The water would be pumped into small cans and transported to each district through vehicles (one for each district) for distribution to the districts. From the district headquarters, the cans would be sent to the taluks.

While cans containing 10 litres would be given to small temples and 50 litre for big temples such as the Someshwara and Chandramouleshwara at Ulsoor, Gavi Gangadhareshwara at Gavipuram, Mallikarjunaswamy in the city , Setty said.

The former Minister said the Muzrai Board officials are only acting as facilitators in procuring the Ganga Jal and transporting it for distribution to temples, he said.
He has also been distributing laddus every year on Vaikunta Ekadasi and idols of Ganesha on Ganesha Chuturthi day.
 
About 10,000 idols would be distributed to various organisations during the next Ganesha festival, he said.

Setty said the construction work of a 500 room guest house on 7.5 cares of land adjourning the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala has come to a halt following public interest litigation filed in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.

Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa laid the foundation stone for the guest house in 2009 to provide accommodation to pilgrims from Karnataka.

The estimated cost of the guest house was Rs 100 crore.

Setty said: ''I am hopeful of early settlement of the pending case in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh,” which would enable the government to commence construction work of the building.