Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar
BALLARI/GADAG: Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar made a peace offering of a silver toy helicopter at the Mailarlingeshwar temple in Huvinahaadagali taluk of Ballari on Friday for flying overhead in a chopper two years ago.
Temple authorities, devotees and Shivakumar himself believe that the flying visit, as opposed to the traditional padayatra made by worshippers, brought upon several setbacks, including raids and inquiries by central agencies.
Shivakumar took a holy bath (Rudra Muni Snana) in the water used to perform ‘Rudrabhishek’ to the deity at the temple premises. He also offered ‘Dirgha Danda Namaskar’. Temple sources said the Congress leader had committed sacrilege by flying over the temple in 2018 when lakhs of devotees come on foot during the annual Karnika (prophecy).