Temple management not to close Dasoha Bhavan in case of anyone’s death atop the Hill or at villages

Mysuru: Henceforth, devotees coming to Chamundeshwari Temple atop the Chamundi Hill, need not have apprehensions that the Dasoha Bhavan (place where mass free food is offered) might be closed in case of any death being reported at the Hill or surrounding villages. The Temple administration has now decided not to close the Dasoha Bhavan even in case of death.

As per tradition, in case a person dies atop the Hill or at the surrounding villages, the main gate of the Temple is closed (as death is considered a bad omen at a place of religious significance) and devotees are made to enter the sanctum sanctorum through the side gate. Darshan is offered from the north side of the Temple and puja rituals are continued. Also, the Dasoha Bhavan is closed for the day and no free food (prasadam or Dasoha) is offered.

A meeting of the Temple Committee held three days back decided not to close the Dasoha Bhavan as devotees come to have food there from far-flung places. Chamundi Temple Executive Officer K.M. Prasad told the meeting that on an average, over 5,000 people have breakfast, lunch and dinner at Dasoha Bhavan daily and one or two deaths are reported in the vicinity every other day.

He told the meeting that due to closure of Dasoha Bhavan, thousands of people go hungry. The meeting was informed that no devotee should go in an empty stomach from a Mother’s place (Goddess Chamundeshwari is regarded as Mother). The meeting decided to continue the Dasoha at the Temple even at the time of any death. The members opined in the meeting that the Dasoha offered at the Temple is not prasadam but is a food supply system.

Prasad told the meeting that while the tradition of closing the Temple main door in case of deaths was an age-old practice, Dasoha system was started in 2004 and they both cannot be linked. Moreover the expenditure of Dasoha Bhavan is managed out of the money donated by philanthropists and the Temple Fund is not utilised in any way, he informed the meeting. The Temple management has sent this proposal to Deputy Commissioner for approval.

The practice of serving breakfast and dinner was started in March 2017 and there was a good response from devotees. Of late, the Temple management has extended the timings of afternoon Dasoha from 12 pm to 3.30 pm from the earlier 1 pm to 2 pm. This is to facilitate devotees who arrive at the Temple during closing hours (2 pm). If devotees enter the temple at 2 pm, it is not possible for them to have food at Dasoha Bhavan and this is the reason why the Dasoha timings have been extended.

As of now, Dasoha begins at 7.30 am and ends at 9 am, lunch from 12 pm till 3.30 pm and dinner Dasoha from 7.30 pm to 9 pm. Temple sources told Star of Mysore that the hotels surrounding the Temple had opposed the introduction of morning and evening Dasoha as it will hit their business. But the management went ahead and introduced the Dasoha all three times a day as no devotee coming to have a Darshan of the Goddess must go hungry, sources added.

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