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Kuruba community seer alleges temple was cleaned after his visit; priest refutes charge

Meanwhile, the priest of temple Srinivas told reporters that no such incident took place as the pontiff has been visiting it every year.

ByPTI

Published Feb 03, 2024 | 2:17 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 03, 2024 | 2:17 PM

File photo of Ishwarananda Puri Swamiji. (CT Ravi/ X)

Ishwarananda Puri Swamiji, the pontiff of Kanaka Guru Peetha of the shepherd Kuruba community, has alleged that the authorities cleaned the state-controlled Vishnu temple after he visited it during “Vaikuntha Ekadashi” in December 2023.

Speaking at a Kannada Literary Conference at Sanehalli Math in Hosadurga on Friday, 2 February, the pontiff alleged that there was caste-based discrimination against him at the Channakeshava Temple at Bagur in Chitradurga district.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also belongs to the Kuruba community.

“There’s a Channakeshava Temple at Bagur near here (Hosadurga). I came to know that they (temple authorities) cleaned the entire temple after I left it,” the pontiff said.

According to him, he had visited the temple Shantaveera Swamiji of Kunchitiga Math in Hosadurga.

Ishwarananda Puri further said he would have protested like 16th century AD saint-poet Kanakadasa, who too was prevented from entering Udupi Math.

“I would have protested if I knew the temple came under the state Hindu religious endowment department,” the pontiff said.

According to him, women from the priest’s family were allowed inside the temple, while he was kept waiting outside even though he too was a pontiff of a Hindu monastery.

The Swami quipped that he had decided to go to all the temples as it helps cleaning all the shrines.

However, he told the gathering that henceforth he would not visit the Channakeshava Temple at Bagur.

Meanwhile, the priest of Channakeshava Temple Srinivas told reporters in Bagur that no such incident took place as the pontiff has been visiting it every year.

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