Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)
Beltangady, Oct 20: Temples have not evinced enough interest in preaching the importance and essence of religion to the masses. Because of this, bigotry in the name of religion has gained in intensity, felt scholar Bannanje Govindacharya.
He was speaking after presiding over a day's work shop on the 'internal administration of Dharmastala temple,' held for the managing trustees and trustees of temples located in three districts, on the occasion of the 60th birthday celebrations of Dharmastala Dharmadhikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade on Sunday October 19, at the 'Sannidhi' guest house of the temple.
Dr Heggade always reflected for the welfare of the society in a collective way. He grew in both stature and personality because of following principles that have strong foundations. Temples are actually centres of all the cultural activities. As far as religion is concerned, India has the potential to preach the entire world, Bannanje said.
Kundapur Kundeshwara temple managing trustee Dr H V Narasimhamurthy, who inaugurated the workshop, noted that the temples are the integrated centres of personality development. Every temple creates 162 employment opportunities. This is the place where all classes of people can collectively serve the Lord, he noted. Murthy also recollected, that the erstwhile Supreme Court judge Justice Chandrachud had hailed the system of delivering justice being followed in Dharmastala temple, as the most noble system of justice deliverance.
"Dharmastala is like a government. The temple even runs an excise department, for releasing the drunkards from the clutches of their addiction," he noted.
Sonda Swarnavalli temple Agama scholar Vedamurthy Nagendra Bhat Hitlalli was the chief guest. Dr Veerendra heggade was present.
Addressing the valedictory function in the evening, Vedamurthy Laxminarayan Asranna from kateel temple felt, that the practice being followed by the government, of replacing the governing councils of the temples one every three years, works to the detriment of the temple development.
Prof M Ramachandra Karkala and Dr G N Bhat Kateel welcomed. Lecturer Dr B P Sampatkumar and Dr Sridhar Bhat conducted the programme. Dr E Mahabal Bhat proposed vote of thanks. Various experts held training sessions during the course of the workshop, on the internal adminsitration of Dharmastala temple.
Dr Heggade, participating in a programme of interaction later, said that he would speak to the government about the possibilities of Dharmastala temple organizing training programmes for the trustees of temple trusts that newly come into being, on temple administration, in association with the endowments department. He also announced to extend all kinds of encouragement to those who want to pursue their Phd on the internal administration of temples. "We are thinking of making it mandatory to hold Bhajans in the homes of beneficiaries under SKDRDP schemes," he revealed.
Questioned about the most valuable and memorable event of his life, Heggade said, that renovation of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was a moment of fulfilment. "In terms of value, it might not have cost much. But, it was invaluable in terms of the sense of fulfilment it gave," he described. He also said, that conducting of 'Maha Nadavali' and installation of Bahubali statue in Dharmastala were the other two highly memorable events of his life.