Mysore/Mysuru: Kota Srinivas Poojary, Minister for Ports and Fisheries and Muzrai was at Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill in city this morning apparently to attend the District Dharmika Parishat meeting. But instead of the meeting, the Minister headed straight to the Temple,  performed rituals and addressed reporters. 

He said that mass marriages organised under the Saptapadi  programme of the Government will go on without any hindrance but there will be a cap on number of couples entering the wedlock as per COVID-19 protocol. 

In the months ahead, the marriages will be organised as per the muhuratam. Marriages will be held at all ‘A Grade’ Muzrai Temples and in Mysuru it will be held at Sri Chamundeshwari Temple and at Srikanteshwara Swamy Temple in Nanjangud. 

There are about 206 ‘A Grade’ and about 310 ‘B Grade’ temples in the State and applications have already been called for the formation of the Managing Committees of 80 temples through Dharmika Parishat. About 11 temples have already constituted a Managing Committee. Other temples have their Police report pending for the formation of the committees,” Poojary said.

Poojary said that there was no dearth of funds to organise mass marriages. As envisaged,  the bridegroom will receive Rs. 5,000 and the bride will receive Rs. 10,000 to buy new clothes for the wedding. 

Poojary said Saptapadi has got good response from people. To start with, the department has planned to conduct marriage of around 2,000 couples. It is looking at holding marriages in batches on different muhuratam in a day.

The bride will receive Rs. 40,000 to buy Mangalsutra and bonds worth Rs. 10,000 from the Revenue Department. The couple from SC/ST communities will receive a bond worth Rs. 50,000 from the Social Welfare Department. “The tender of manufacturing Mangalsutras has been given to Government-owned Cauvery Emporium,” he added. 

State Dharmika Parishat member S. Govinda Bhat, Chamundeshwari Temple Executive Officer S.N. Yathiraj Sampathkumaran, Muzrai Tahsildar C.G. Krishna and others were present.