Revanna goes a long way to 'appease' Goddess Hasanamba

This year, the organisers of the famed Hasanamba festival in Hassan, seem to be in no mood to bend the rules backwards as they have avoided playing politics leaving the jatra, on its second day, receiving mixed responses from visitors.

While thousands of devotees thronged the Hasanamba temple to have a darshan of the deity on Friday, some VIP visitors including MLA H D Revanna, were left high and dry.

Speaking to media persons later, Revanna said the district administration did not extend formal invitation to the JD(S) legislators and even to former prime minister Deve Gowda.

Revanna, who was upset over the district administration for neglecting the elected representatives, had to stand in a long queue for two hours with the public on Thursday night  to offer prayers to the goddess. He also offered a saree to the deity. On Friday morning however, he again paid obeisance to the deity by purchasing a special ticket.

Actor Shiv Rajkumar, along with his wife Geetha, actor Bullet Prakash, Brahmanda Guruji and others also visited the temple on Friday. After offering prayers Shiv Rajkumar said, though he had heard about the deity, he got the opportunity to visit the temple only this year.

Around 30,000 devotees offered prayers on the second day. The devotees were offered ‘avalakki prasad'. Speaking to DH, temple administrative officer H L Nagaraju said with holidays round the corner more number of devotees are expected to visit the temple.

Passes returned

In another incident, MLA H S Prakash on Friday returned the VIP passes issued by the district administration to enter Hasanamba temple. He objected to the pass as it was date specific and rued that he would not be allowed entry on the other days.

Timetable sought

Meanwhile, BJP rural president Agile Yogesh criticised the authorities for not displaying a fixed timetable which would enable devotees to visit the temple in the stipulated hours.

He threatened that if the temple management do not prepare the schedule immediately, the locals would stage a protest in front of the temple wearing black bands.

He stated that since thousands of devotees were visiting the temple from across the state, a fixed timetable would help them get a good darshan of the deity.
DH News Service