Siddu on a temple run

Shyam Sundar Vattam/NT

 Bengaluru

Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition in State Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah seems to be on a temple run - visiting temples and religious mutts in various districts. This has given a feeling whether ‘Huliya’ is visiting temples with a purpose?

Unlike other chief ministers, B.S. Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, H.D. Deve Gowda, H.D. Kumaraswamy, Siddaramaiah seldom visits temples, though he is not an atheist.

Moreover, his past temple visits have kicked up controversies. The first one was when he visited Dharmasthala Manjunathaswamy Temple after eating non-vegetarian food in Mangaluru. This had angered the BJP and right wing organisations.

 The second controversy was when he offered flowers to god without removing hissandals. This time too he faced brickbats from conservatives for his lack of love for gods and goddesses.

 On the contrary, his wife Parvathi Siddaramaiah has been a regular visitor to Sri Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill in Mysuru. When Siddaramaiah was in power, she used to visit the temple like an ordinary devotee and disappear much before the local people could identify her.

With the crucial Assembly polls just 8-10 months away, the Kuruba leader has been advised to visit temples or mutts whenever he is on tour of other districts to come out of anti-Hindu tag. He has been criticised by BJP for supporting the minorities and attacking the Hindus. To change that image in the minds of public, the opposition leader has developed the habit of visiting temples and mutts. On big festivals, he would be taken to famous temples in Bengaluru by his followers.

Is Siddaramaiah becoming theist? No. says the close friends of Siddaramaiah. According to them, whenever he visits villages, towns or district headquarters, local leaders pressure him to take the darshan of god or goddess or a seer no matter whether he is interested or not. At that time he would visit temples or mutts so that the feelings of others were not hurt. Since the responsibility of bringing back the Congress Party to power was on his shoulders, he had to visit places of worship or mutts to woo voters.

On Friday, while on his official visit to Chikkamagaluru, Siddaramaiah visited Sri Sharadamba Temple in Sringeri and also Balehonnur Mutt to meet the head seer. The pontiff put a rudraksha chain, specially brought from Kashi, around his neck with a message, don’t remove this chain till... The former CM also regretted for trying to divide Veerashaivas and Lingayats which cost heavy for the Congress Party in 2018 Assembly polls. Is this makeover to appease the God to bless him for becoming the CM again? It will be known in May, 2023.