Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 3: In tune with the decision of the government to perform an oblation known as 'Parjanya Homa' that is aimed at appeasing the rain god, state water resources minister, M B patil, accompanied by his wife, offered prayers for abundant rainfall and special puja at the Panchateertha of Mahabaleshwar temple in Maharashtra on Friday June 2.

Mahabaleshwar happens to be the confluence where rivers Krishna, Gayatri, Saraswathi, Koyna and Veena meet. MP, Prakash Hukkeri, parliamentary secretary in revenue department, Ganesh Hukkeri, former minister, Siddu Nyamagouda, various officials and farmers from Vijayapura, Bagalkot and Belagavi were present in considerable numbers.

MP, Prakash Hukkeri, said that the water resources minister of Karnataka had offered puja here seeking divine intervention to see that the farmers do not face the problem of drought they suffered last year again, by blessing the state with copious rains. Ganesh Hukkeri said that both Karnataka and Maharashtra, which are heavily dependent non rivers, were battered badly on account of drought last year and that they had prayed to the god to see that the farmer get enough rainfall and water this year.

Later, minister, M B Patil clarified that he and some of his friends had decided to together meet expenses for holding the Homas at Mahabaleshwar as well as Talakaveri, where the rivers originate. He said he is hurt at the fact that some media have projected that government money is being spent on these pujas. He said that like in Mahabaleshwar, puja will be performed at Talakaveri on June 4 in the presence of Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Math.

"Rivers Krishna and Kaveri are like divine entities for our farmers, and offering of puja to rivers has been a part of our culture, traditions, and religion. A decision to perform the puja seeking mercy of the divine rivers which command respect and reverence of a mother, was taken at the meeting of Kaveri Neeravari Nigam and provision was made to spent ten lac rupees each for these two pujas. Several media have wrongly grasped this information and given wrong information to people, he stated.

About the Homas, evidently there is mixed reaction from BJP leaders. Former chief minister, Jagadish Shettar, felt that there is no need to perform this puja as monsoon is round the corner. He said that for Patil, who belongs to the land of Basavanna, it is shameful to think about performing pujas. Yeddyurappa, speaking at Bidar, expressed happiness about the fact that Siddaramaiah and his cabinet ministers have now got the good sense to perform puja to gods. MLC, K S Eshwarappa, who is at Shivamogga, welcomed the move and reminded that Siddaramaiah had lampooned them when the BJP leaders began survey on drought. He wished that the Homa will result in welfare of the people of the state.

On Friday June 2, a complaint against minister, M B Patil, was filed with Anti Corruption Bureau at Bengaluru for his statement of offering puja to two rivers through priests from Kerala. In his complant, general secretary of Human Rights Protection and Corruption Eradication Organization, S R Raghavendra, said that about Rs 20 lac of tax money is likely to be wasted for these pujas. He also has enclosed to his complaint a copy of the statement made by the minister that he is spending money for the Homas on his own.

In Kodagu too there has been some opposition to the idea of performing Parjanya Homa at Bhagamandala by minister, M B Patil. Many including some organizations, have noted that the district is already getting good rain and there is no need to interfere with it now. Sometime back, locals had caused disturbance when Parjanya Homa was being performed by Prikriti Foundation here.