HVK Archives: Controversy shrouds yagna
Controversy shrouds yagna - The Observer
Posted By Ashok V Chowgule (ashokvc@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in)
October 27, 1996
Critics of Prime Minister Deve Gowda allege that a yagna
to he held at Belthangady In Karnataka in December at a
cost of Rs 1 crore is meant to ensure the United Front
government's stability.
Mr Gowda's supporters who are organising the elaborate
Ayutha Chandika yagna from December 12 to 22 in the
Dakshina Kannada district refute the allegation.
"An astrologer who had predicted Mr Deve Gowda's rise as
Prime Minister is now predicting that hi& rule is nearing
the end," said a legislator opposed to Mr Gowda. "The
yagna Is being performed to ward off this very threat."
However, Vasanth Bangera a Janata Dal MLA and chief whip
in the Karnataka assembly stated, "Some people who hate
Mr Gowda are making wild allegations only because he is
the Prime minister." The MLA believed to be close to Mr
Gowda insisted that people from all walks of life are
involved in the ritual "that is aimed at ensuring the
welfare of humanity."
Whatever the purpose, hectic preparations are underway
for the yagna to he conducted near the 900-year-old Shree
Durgaparameshwari temple at Chandkur, six km from
Belthangady town. The yagna will be supervised by Bala-
gopal Jois.
About 1,200 ritvijas (Brahmins) will take part In the
yagna on a 30-acre site. Nearly two lakh devotees are
expected to participate in the event About 20 tonnes of
bark from jack fruit trees, 2,250 kg ghee, an equal
quantity of honey and other sacred Items will be confined
to the flames during the yagna.
Balagopal Jois conceived the idea while conducting the
Ati Rudra Mahayagna at Srirangapatna in Karnataka in
February last year, according to P. Gopalkrishna Bhat,
chief priest of the temple. The yagna will be performed
under the auspices of the Ayutha Chandika Yagna Samiti
with K. Rathnaraja Ballal of Mangalore as its president.
The ritual is unique because yagnas normally propitiate a
male god, usually Lord Shiva. This yagna aims to propi-
tiate Goddess Shakti. Interestingly it is believed that
a similar ritual was conducted during the reign of Chan-
dragupta Maurya, in Delhi on a suggestion by his prime
minister Chanakya, to tide over a financial crisis.
When quizzed about the significance of the exercise, the
organisers took recourse to mythology. "Goddess Shakti
killed demons like Shumba, Nishumba and Bhasmasura who
were merrily destroying human beings. She thus ensured
that there was peace on earth.
"But demonic qualities (rakshsatva) still Persist in
people on earth and these have to be eliminated. It is
for this purpose that the yagna is being performed," said
an organiser.
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