MANGALURU: In an attempt to ensure that ‘Teertha’bottles are made available for devotees, authorities of Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple have started laying a 2.5 km pipeline from the point of origin of ‘Darpana Teertha,’ a major tributary of the river Kumara Dhara, to the temple.
With the level of water of ‘Teertha bhavi,’ (the well from where water is used for ‘abhishekam’ and ‘Teertha’) dipping, the authorities had stopped distributing ‘Teertha’ bottles to devotees from April 21, a move which upset villagers and disciples resulting in a complaint reaching the minister for religious endowment when he visited Kukke recently. “Devotees wanted some alternative arrangements to be made, and suggested that ‘Tambula Prashna,’ (a form of astrology) be held at the temple to find another source of water so that “Teertha’ coule be distributed in bottles. The Minister agreed and directed us to do it,” Mr Poovappa, Executive Officer of the temple, told DC.
“The Tambula Prashana was held on May 2 where devotees asked if a well could be dug in the nearby premises or any other source could be used for the water. All these suggestions were denied. However the astrologers through Prashna agreed that water drawn directly from the source of Darpana Teertha (where the water is pure and not polluted by human beings) to the temple through pipeline could be used to be distributed in Teertha bottles after some ritual,” he said adding that over 50 villagers volunteered to help the authorities lay this 2.5 km pipeline from the hill to the temple.
“The water from this can be used only for teertha bottles and not for any other purpose. The pipeline laid would continue to exist so that it can be used in case of crisis in the future for similar purpose. We want to complete the work at the earliest and start distributing the teertha bottles soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kukke village received two spells of rain in the past one week. Once the water level in ‘Teertha bhavi’ increases, the water would be distributed through ‘Teertha’ bottles.
