Inavolu Jatara begins, temple without trust board

WARANGAL: The Inavolu Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy Jatara began on a grand note in Inavolu mandal of Warangal district on Saturday. However, it was held without a trust board since the Telangana High Court suspended the appointment of Inavolu Mallana Trust Board. 

While the Endowments department issued an order to appoint a trust board on January 10, one Paila Srinivasulu approached the High Court, alleging that the officials did not follow due process in appointing members to the trust board. The High Court later issued an order, suspending the appointment.

The Inavolu Jatara begins every year on Sankranti and continues until Ugadi. With no trust board to oversee the affairs, devotees who thronged the temple were inconvenienced as there were no arrangements for drinking water, temporary toilets, bathing sheds or other facilities.

Devotees began offering prayers since morning, with Oggu priests drawing patnalu with turmeric on the occasion of Bhogi festival. Around 10 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the Inavolu Jatara.

Panchayat Raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Wardhannapet MLA offered prayers to the presiding deities after inaugurating Jatara.

Meanwhile, there are also allegations regarding appointment of the temple committee of Kaleshwaram temple situated in the Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.

The People’s Organisations joint action committee leader P. Kiran alleged that the government is allotting the chairman post of the temple committee to either forward caste or to BC communities, discriminating against the people of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. When the state government is boasting that it is committed to uplift the people of ST and SCs, it must prove its commitment by allotting the chairman post to a Dalit woman this year, he demanded.