Karnataka: Sevas start in Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple amid adherence to Covid-19 guidelines

MANGALURU: Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple, the highest revenue earning temple under muzarai department in the state formally restarted much sought after sevas – sarpa samskara, naga pratishte and ashlesha bali on Monday. Owing to strict conditions laid down on account of the pandemic, the number of sarpa samskara and naga pratishte sevas has been limited to 30 each, while 60 ashlesha bali sevas will be conducted in two batches of 30 each.
M H Ravindra, executive officer, Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple, some 130-kms from here, told TOI the temple is giving preference to those who have booked for these sevas’ online. There will be no manual booking for any of these sevas, Ravindra said. Likewise, numbers of mahapooja and panchamrutha abhisheka too have been restricted to 10 each, he said. Only two members will be allowed inside the temple for the above mentioned sevas.
The temple will not permit new sarpa samskara sevas for the time being till such time that the online bookings are exhausted, he said, adding there special ashlesha bali seva in the evening too stands cancelled. Keeping in mind the Covid19 guidelines, RO said devotees performing sevas will be permitted to stay in the temple lodging for two days and others for one day. Lunch or ‘anna prasada’ will be served only to those offering seva.
The darshan timings subject to last minute changes too stand altered as below. Accordingly, devotees can now have darshan from 6.30am to 11.30am, 12.15pm to 1.30pm, 3.30pm to 7pm and from 7.30pm to 8pm. The temple was kept open from 8.30am to 5.30pm since rules permitting temples to open under unlock were announced, Ravindra said, adding devotees should wear masks, and compulsorily undergo thermal screening during entry.
The temple that netted Rs 98.90 crore during FY 2019-20 presently is seeing footfalls of around 3000-4000 devotees as against 6000 to 10000 during pre-Covid times on weekdays, he said. The temple is the abode of nagas where pooja is offered to Lord Subrahmanya with serpent king Vasuki. This temple is believed to offer ultimate solace for salvation from any sort of naga doshas and attracts devotees – commoners and celebrities alike.