The construction of a naturopathy hospital of Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala at Nelamangala, near Bengaluru, is on the verge of completion. The hospital will offer health services shortly, Pattadhikari of Dharmasthala D. Veerendra Heggade said on Saturday.
Speaking at a function organised in Dharmasthala to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of his ‘pattabhisheka’, Mr. Heggade said Shree Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP), the non-government organisation headed by him, will rejuvenate agriculture operations in 8,000 acres in the State in the coming years. It will purchase farm machinery worth ₹15 crore under its “Yantra Shree” scheme and make them available to farmers. It has identified 10,400 families who require housing and other basic facilities. They will be helped under ‘vatsalya’ scheme.
He said that the Yakshagana ‘mela’ of Dharmasthala will stage short-duration shows in the temple town for a month after Deepavali. It is to enable devotees who host “harake bayalats” to fulfil their vows. About 30 artists of the ‘mela’ present the shows.
He said the Dharmottana Trust in Dharmasthala had extended financial assistance to the tune of ₹14 crore for the construction of 1,135 temples in the past one year.
Meanwhile, Vishwaprasanna Tirtha, seer of the Udupi Pejawar Mutt, met Mr. Heggade in Dharmasthala and greeted him on the anniversary of his “pattabhisheka”.