Officials intervene after temple shut following Dalit youths’ entry in Chikkamagalur village

CHIKKAMAGALUR: Upper caste communities of Narasipura village near Belawadi in Chikkamagalur taluk had stopped puja at the Tirumaleshwara temple in the village and locked it after two Dalit youths had entered the temple during puja. After the intervention of taluk officials, who held a conciliatory meeting, regular puja has resumed.

Members of the Kuruba community have been conducting puja at the temple for decades. A few days ago, two Dalit youths had approached the tahsildar seeking entry into the temple. After they had entered the temple on Tuesday, the Kuruba community members had locked the temple and stopped puja.

Puja had been stopped in the temple since Tuesday after two Dalit youths entered.

There are about 200 families of the Kuruba community and 15 families belonging to other communities in the village. It is said that Dalits of the village do not enter the temple. The temple was brought under the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department in 2012.

On Thursday evening, the sub-divisional commissioner, tahsildar, social welfare department officer, Deputy SP and the Muzrai tahsildar held talks with the villagers and convinced them that any devotee from any caste can offer prayers at the temple. Following the conciliatory meeting, puja resumed at the temple.