Aiyappa devotees withdraw nude worship

Four male devotees of Lord Aiyappa, who were worshipping in the nude to appease the deity at a village in Dharwad district, withdrew the controversial ritual on Thursday evening following objections from local people.

The men were performing the ‘bettale seve’ (nude service to god) in the corner of a field at Madakihonnalli in Kalghatgi taluk for the past 15 days.

They have been identified as Anil Patil (24) of Nandigatta in Mundgod taluk; Manjunath Krishnegouda (23) of Haliyal; Prakash Gokak (26) of Belehar village in Navalgund taluk; and Gangaram Killikyatar (40) of Benachi village in Dharwad taluk.

Rituals

The men in buff were staying in a mud hut and performing various poojas. They said they ate food in clay pots and sat on plantain leaves throughout the day, rolling ‘rudrakshi’ beads and chanting the name of Lord Aiyappa. ‘Bettale seve’ is one of the five forms of rituals offered to Aiyappa, who was also found naked in a jungle, they said.

Anil Patil said nude worship was the toughest of all the other rituals and, therefore, very few people vow to perform it.

He said they had to face all odds of nature and sleep on plantain leaf for 48 days, besides eating only gruel in clay pots. They took cold water bath thrice a day and are not supposed to wear clothes for all the 48 days of their vow.

However, this kind of worship embarrassed the villagers who refused to venture into the field. The residents said that by performing such observances, the youths were demeaning Lord Aiyappa.