Harshini Brahmavar

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 30: We often come across people trying to infuriate others through sacrilegious comments about gods, statements which ruffle religious sentiments, and also by using of pictures of gods or god-men in cartoons etc. Contrary to these, where the main aim of the perpetrators of the mischief appears to be getting some sadistic pleasure out of hurting sentiments of others, some like-minded young people from Kinnimulky, Udyavar here, came together and disposed off old pictures of gods and other items found under an ancient peepal tree near Balayipade in tune with Hindu culture and belief systems by discharging them in a rivulet.

Nagaraj from near Kinnimulky, who happens to be a lawyer by profession, often saw the orphaned pictures of gods lying under the peepal tree in a neglected state, and battered by rain and sunshine. He was feeling uncomfortable at the sight of these pictures and was thinking about ways to handle this matter. Two days back, he and his friends came together, gathered information about the procedure to dispose off the pictures from the priest of Lord Veerabhadra temple and continued with the task.

Many a time pictures of gods get dilapidated or damaged. People have often been seen to dispose off such pictures under the peepal tree. People shifting out from rented houses to far off places too choose to get rid of such pictures in similar fashion. The team of young people retrieved about 200 pictures of different gods which had been heaped since many years under the said peepal tree and also a two-feet high idol of Lord Krishna, put them in gunny bags, and discharged them in tune with religious rituals. The platform around the peepal tree was cleaned, and a banner prohibiting disposal of pictures of gods was hung there. Nagaraj says that he has done his bit to remind the locals that it is their duty to maintain cleanliness and tidiness of their surroundings.

This team has also been following the practice of setting aside water in a bowl everyday for the birds suffering due to hot summer. The team members have chosen to call themselves 'Panchajanya Kinnimulky'. Govardhan, Harish Kumar, Deepak Kumar are the main members of Panchajanya team. They want to continue to serve the society in their own way in future too.