Mangaluru: As rain gods stay aloof, Kukke Subrahmanya Temple's 'teertha' dries up

Mangaluru: With the rain gods showing no signs of relenting, devotees visiting the famed Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple here are having to go without the ‘teertha’ or holy water they are accustomed to buying from it.

A well in the grounds of the temple, traditionally called ‘Teertha Bhavi,’ supplies the water for both the teertha distributed along with the prasadam for some "sevas" and sold to devotees, besides the 'abhishekam,' or bathing of the deities every morning. But with the well fast drying up there is just enough water for the 'abhishekam,' forcing the temple authorities to give up selling teertham bottles since Thursday.

“The well now has hardly any water. Every night some water gets collected in it , but this is just enough for the morning abhishekam of the deities. As we cannot use any other water for the teertha, we have stopped distributing it ,” said temple executive officer, Poovappa, recalling that the practice was stopped similarly for about a fortnight a couple of years ago owing to the well drying up.

In the usual course, the temple sells about 2,000 teertha bottles of 200 ml each every day. And the sales go up to around 3,000 on weekends and holidays. It is hoping this is a temporary interruption and the rains will arrive to replenish the Teertha Bhavi.

Meanwhile the temple is doing the only thing it can. Hoping to appease the gods it organized a 'Parjanya Japa,' and a tender coconut abhishekam recently. While it did rain a few days later, it did not last and now with the mercury steadily climbing, the well is once again threatening to dry up.

But not giving up, the temple administration intends to consult its priests on what other poojas can be offered to bring rain to the parched region.