“Muthina rashi mooru atale parakh” (a mound of pearls got divided into three) was the “Karnika” (prophecy) uttered by the gorava at the Mylara Jatra, dedicated to Shiva in his form as Mailari, the patron deity of the Kuruba community, in Hadagali taluk of Ballari district on Wednesday.
Over seven lakh devotees from all parts of the State and also from some neighbouring States congregated at Mylara, a pilgrim centre in Hadagali taluk, where a temple is located, to listen with rapt attention to the “Karnika”, which they believe is the prophecy of things to come in the coming year.
Mylara Jatra is one of the biggest jatras in north Karnataka.
As has been the age-old tradition, Ramanna, the designated gorava, climbed a 10-ft bow and uttered the four word “Karnika” and let himself down from that height to be caught by the devotees below.
According to legend, demon Mallasura and his brother, having performed a severe penance, extracted from Brahma a promise that they should never be harmed by any human being.
They, then, began to harass the “rishis” (sages). On an appeal from the rishis to protect them, Lord Shiva took on the form of Mailari and taking with him his forces to the number of “seven crores” (goravas), waged a war with the “asura” and his brother for 10 days and slew them both with his bow.
Labour Minister P.T. Parmeshwar Naik was among other dignitaries to witness the event.
Water shortage
With the Tungabhadra going dry this year, the district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Sameer Shukla and Ballari Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer S.S. Nakul, had initiated steps to help overcome the shortage of water by arranging for over 50 water tankers. As many as eight new borewells were dug.
