Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi (MS)

Belagavi, Feb 22: It is natural for devotees to approach God or goddess during times of trouble. However, in a bizarre incident, devotees, who are jaded by the repeated thefts occurring in and around the temple, locked the temple and have given an ultimatum of nine days to the goddess to trace the culprits.

This amusing matter is reported from Agasagi village in Belagavi district. Villagers have locked the temple of goddess Masanayi Devi and have put open challenge to teach the thieves a lesson within a span of nine days. In addition, they have passed an order in the village that nobody will offer coconut to this goddess till the thieves are found.

Goddess Masanayi Devi is an age-old historical deity of Agasagi village who is renowned for granting anything that is demanded by her devotees. There is a strong belief among the villagers that this very goddess is protecting them from every calamity including the theft. However, recently robbers have stolen the bells of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple itself. In addition, the robbers have stolen the pooja articles from temples of nearby villages also.

Though the devotees have given a complaint to the Kakti police station, which is nearby, culprits have not been traced yet. The villagers, who are upset by these happenings, have some suspicion of their faith in the goddess and have decided to test the goddess herself.

It is learnt that while locking the temple, the devotees have prayed to the goddess saying, "Mother you only punish the robbers. Make the culprits to bring back the bells stolen from the temple by your divine power. We give a time of nine days for this."

Police are saying that the villagers have informed them of the crime but have not formally lodged any complaint.

Only time will tell whether the goddess accepts the challenge and delivers the expectations of her devotees.