Kudroli Temple braces for more reformative programmes in centenary year

Mangalore, December 26: Politician turned reformer B Janardhan Poojary has promised more reformative programmes as part of the centenary year celebration of Sri Gokarnanatha Kshetra at Kudroli, here.

Founded by prominent social reformer saint of South India Brahmashree Narayana Guru on February 21, 1921, Sri Gokarnanateshwara Temple will continue to break evil-dogma throughout its year-long celebration starting from the New Year, said the patron of the Temple at a press conference here on Monday.

Mr Poojary said that over 5,000 sumangalis (married Hindu women) would adopt a New Year resolution on January 1, 2012 at the Temple premise that they would not shed any of their marriage symbols in the unfortunate premise of death of their life-partners.

It can be recalled that Poojary's wife Malathi and four other married women had taken an oath at the temple during Diwali celebrations this year on similar lines.

Mr Poojary said women would pledge before the deity that they would not remove their mangalasutra and they would continue to wear bangles, vermillion and ornaments even after the death of their partners.

Women will also declare openly that they will take the lead role in all religious and other auspicious rituals to break the barriers attached to widowhood, he added.

"A special chandika yaga will performed prior to the oath taking, where all rituals will be performed by women themselves. They will offer arathi to the deity and pull the silver chariot too. All participant women will be given saree, blouse piece, bangles, kumkum and flowers as prasada after the rituals," he said adding that there will be no compulsion and married women may participate of their own will.

'Urulu-seve' instead of 'Made-snana'

Reiterating that 'made-snana', is an evil practice, Mr Poojary said the devotees at Kudroli Temple, interested, would be given an opportunity to perform 'urulu-seve' during Shivarathri festivities.

“Unlike in 'made-snana', where lower caste Hindus roll on plantain leaves having leftovers of meal served to Brahmins, the management committee of Kudroli Temple would clean the marble floor with Dettol before 'urulu-seve'”, he said.