• Missing Karadige of Male Mahadeshwara Temple found in garbage dump
• Questions arise as Police complaint filed after 5 days; devotees express concern

Chamarajanagar: A golden casket (Karadige in Kannada that means a box-like ornament in which a Shiva Linga is placed) belonging to Male Mahadeshwara Temple atop Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district which had gone missing on Mar. 18 has been found. The missing of Karadige had caused widespread concern among devotees regarding the safety of the Temple’s precious assets. 

The Karadige was found yesterday by a civic worker Sunil in a garbage dump right in front of the Temple’s Rajagopura. The ornament was adorned to the Utsava Murthy of Sri Parvathi Ammanavaru and it was found by Sunil, an outsourced civic worker who alerted the Temple authorities at about 3.30 pm. Sunil had found the Karadige when he was loading garbage onto a vehicle.

Immediately after the discovery, Jaya Vibhavaswamy, the Executive Officer of Male Mahadeshwara Temple Development Authority, Deputy Secretary Basavaraju rushed near the garbage dump along with Male Mahadeshwara Police Inspector G.N. Ramesh and recovered the precious item. The ornament is at present in the possession of the Police and would be handed over to the Temple authorities after completing certain formalities. 

Missing after procession

The Karadige carries 32 gram gold and usually adorned the Utsava Murthy of the Goddess Parvathi along with the presiding deity Mahadeshwara during the annual festival and other important festivals. The Karadige was found missing after the idol was taken in a procession out of the Temple on Mar. 18. It came to light after the ornaments were accounted for after the procession. 

Shocked by this development, priests and Temple authorities frantically searched for it in vain. Later a Police complaint was lodged. Upset by the missing of the Karadige, devotees had cast aspersions on the Temple management and questioned the integrity of the people who manage the day-to-day affairs of the Temple. 

As per tradition, priests among members of Bedagampana community take turns to perform pujas to the presiding deity and Sri Parvathi Ammanavaru and each month, a different team takes over the puja rituals. At the end of each month, the Bedagampana team hands over the ornaments, puja materials and other valuables to the next team after every item is audited. 

Police complaint filed after 5 days

At present, the ornaments and other items were in the custody of K.V. Madesh and Kirubamaada Thammadi group. After the Karadige went missing, the Temple Authority served a show-cause notice to three priests as they had signed a document and had taken custody of the ornament. However, the devotees questioned the move of the Temple management of lodging the Police complaint on Mar. 23, five days after the Karadige was found missing. 

Devotees and a section of priests have alleged that the Karadige was intentionally stolen to bring a bad name to the team of priests who are carrying out ritual at present. Embarrassed by the ornament missing, the Temple management had even decided to get a new Karadige made to replace the missing one, said sources. Even the team of priests in question had agreed to pay from their pockets and get a new Karadige made with the permission of the Temple management. 

Interestingly, the Karadige was found hours after the news appeared in media and this has given rise to suspicion about the person behind the missing incident. Devotees alleged that the ornament was stolen by someone and the fear of Police made that person throw the Karadige into a garbage dump. 

However, Jaya Vibhavaswamy told reporters that the Police would investigate the missing ornament and more details would emerge after the probe.