Bagalkot: The government’s curbs on movement of people and crowding notwithstanding, devotees numbering in the thousands continued their padayatra towards the Banashankari temple in Badami.
Among the devotees are children, women and elderly citizens, all of whom are being received warmly by residents of villages through which they are passing. Devotees from across North Karnataka, including Gadag, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, Belagavi and Dharwad, are walking towards the Banashankari temple in Badami. Devotees kicked off the padayatra from various parts of North Karnataka, and are descending on the temple in Bagalkot district. Neither the devotees nor the residents of the villages appear too concerned about adhering to safety guidelines, with few of those heading towards the temple seen wearing masks, or maintaining a safe distance from each other. Residents of Belur-Jalihal village said that they offered food, water and other items to the devotees, so that they too could benefit from the munificence of Goddess Banashankari.
Neelakantappa, one of the devotees bound for the temple, said that he undertook the pilgrimage each year. “It is a ritual, the completion of which we believe will bring health and prosperity to us. Should the district administration bar our way, we will terminate our journey, and offer puja to the Goddess at the point where we have been stopped,” he said.
Bagalkot superintendent of police Lokesh Jagalasara confirmed to TOI that all roads leading to the Banashankari temple had been barricaded. “We have deployed sufficient personnel around the shrine as well. Since many of the devotees are using many alternative routes to arrive at the temple, we are being as vigilant as possible,” he added.
Banashankari Jatra’s rathotsava is scheduled to be held on Monday. The jathra is a monthly ritual. Officials in the Bagalkot district administration, and members of the temple management have appealed to the devotees against visiting the shrine in view of the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Among the devotees are children, women and elderly citizens, all of whom are being received warmly by residents of villages through which they are passing. Devotees from across North Karnataka, including Gadag, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, Belagavi and Dharwad, are walking towards the Banashankari temple in Badami. Devotees kicked off the padayatra from various parts of North Karnataka, and are descending on the temple in Bagalkot district. Neither the devotees nor the residents of the villages appear too concerned about adhering to safety guidelines, with few of those heading towards the temple seen wearing masks, or maintaining a safe distance from each other. Residents of Belur-Jalihal village said that they offered food, water and other items to the devotees, so that they too could benefit from the munificence of Goddess Banashankari.
Neelakantappa, one of the devotees bound for the temple, said that he undertook the pilgrimage each year. “It is a ritual, the completion of which we believe will bring health and prosperity to us. Should the district administration bar our way, we will terminate our journey, and offer puja to the Goddess at the point where we have been stopped,” he said.
Bagalkot superintendent of police Lokesh Jagalasara confirmed to TOI that all roads leading to the Banashankari temple had been barricaded. “We have deployed sufficient personnel around the shrine as well. Since many of the devotees are using many alternative routes to arrive at the temple, we are being as vigilant as possible,” he added.
Banashankari Jatra’s rathotsava is scheduled to be held on Monday. The jathra is a monthly ritual. Officials in the Bagalkot district administration, and members of the temple management have appealed to the devotees against visiting the shrine in view of the spike in Covid-19 cases.
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