Mysore/Mysuru: Sri Krishna, revered as one of the most beloved deities among Hindus in India and globally, holds a special place in the hearts of devotees. In the town of Kutta, near the Kodagu-Kerala border, a unique Krishna Temple is taking shape after four decades of persistent dreams and efforts by the local community.

This temple is becoming a reality, thanks to the unwavering dedication of the residents of the region. The construction of this Krishna Temple, at an estimated cost of Rs. 3.5 crore, reflects the long-standing aspirations of the locals to establish a religious centre in this part of the region.

The generous donation of about one acre of land by a local benefactor four decades ago has been a crucial catalyst for the realisation of this dream. The temple’s construction is a collective endeavour, marked by consensus, taking everyone into confidence through several rounds of discussions.

“Our long-standing dream of constructing a temple here is now turning into reality. The temple’s construction relies on the collaboration of the local community, and we seek support from donors to accomplish our mission. It is our sincere appeal to Krishna devotees to actively participate in this collective effort,” urges Chekkera Ganapathy, President of the Sri Krishna Temple Committee.

Under the guidance of seniors, Committee members have wholeheartedly contributed substantial amounts crossing lakhs of rupees from their personal funds, actively engaging in this mission to advance the ongoing construction of the temple. The Committee is dedicated to working towards completing the construction within a predefined time-frame.

Committee Vice-President Theethira Naren Balakrishna expressed the Committee’s goal to complete the temple construction by March 2024. He emphasised the absence of a beautiful religious centre in the region, motivating the Committee to take the initiative in building the Sri Krishna Temple.

This endeavour aims to provide devotees in the area with the soon-to-be-realised opportunity for the darshan of Sri Krishna. The responsibility of constructing the temple has been entrusted to skilled sculptors from Karkala.

Committee Secretary Chodumada Shareen Subbaiah highlighted the democratic process in selecting the office-bearers by the people of Kutta. She appealed to locals and residents in the surrounding areas to join hands in this sacred  undertaking.

Grants have been generously provided by former Virajpet MLA K.G. Bopaiah, current Virajpet MLA  A.S. Ponnanna and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simmha for the construction of the Sri Krishna Temple. All 17 members of the Committee are working collaboratively to ensure the successful realisation of this project.

Shareen Subbaiah emphasised the implementation of a thorough audit system to track and manage donations effectively. She urged devotees of Krishna to contribute towards the temple’s construction.

In addition to the key office-bearers, the other Committee members and Directors who are diligently supervising the progress of the Sri Krishna Temple’s construction are Treasurer D. Ravi, Directors Theethira Kushalappa, Machamada Subramani, Theethira Theertha Manjunath, Kattera Ramesh, Machamada Kashi Cariappa, Dhyan Darshan, Chandra Kuttan, Prashanth, Johnson, Ajjikuttira Bopanna and Mukkatira Naveen.