Siddu eats fish before entering Dharmasthala Temple; triggers debate

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has triggered a debate for entering Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Temple in the town of Dharmasthala, in Dakshina Kannada District, on Oct. 22 (Sunday) after enjoying a meal of fish fry and country chicken.

Though some people have tried to make it into a controversy, the Temple authorities themselves have said that choice of food is left to the devotees and there are no rules regarding this.

While the issue has not found much echo in the coastal district, where fish is staple food, the CM justified his choice of meal, saying that no God has ordained that a devotee cannot have darshan after having non-vegetarian food.

Priests, however, say that though there is no mention of restrictions on people who have consumed non-vegetarian food to have a darshan of the deity, to perform specific sevas, devotees have to follow guidelines as per Hindu religious scriptures.

Manjunatheshwara Temple authorities are of the opinion that it is between the devotee and the God. Veeru Shetty, Personal Assistant to Dharmadhikari Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, said: “We don’t have any say on this. Worship is a personal relationship between the devotee and God. We don’t check what a person has consumed before entering the temple to pay obeisance.”

It may be recalled here that Siddharamaiah had visited Dakshina Kannada on Sunday to dedicate and lay the foundation stone for development work worth Rs. 254.57crore in Bantwal Assembly Constituency.

Prior to the function, the CM and his Ministers had eaten lunch at the Inspection Bungalow at Bantwal, where he had kaane fry (lady fish fry) and kattada kori (country chicken sukka). He had later attended a dividend distribution function at Dharmasthala. Before leaving for Bengaluru, the CM had visited the Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Temple.

Responding to the controversy, Siddharamaiah justified having a fish meal and visiting the temple. “No God has ordained that one should not come for his darshan after eating non-vegetarian food. No God has ordained that one should wear a specific outfit while visiting temples. History has it that Bedara Kannappa offered deer meat to  Lord Shiva,” he said.