A temple priest at the Doddabasaveshwara Temple in Kurugodu, Bellary, has been suspended after performing a pooja with photos of Kannada film actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is currently under trial for the murder of Renukaswamy from Chitradurga. The incident occurred on August 5th, during a special religious ceremony where Darshan’s photos were placed beside the deity’s idol, sparking outrage among devotees.
Darshan, known for his devoted fan base, is presently in Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru. His fans have been fervently praying for his release, with some even placing his photographs in temples. On the first Monday of Savan, videos surfaced showing the priest conducting pooja with Darshan’s photos at the historic Doddabasaveshwara Temple. These videos quickly went viral on social media, leading to public backlash.
In response, the Karnataka Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department suspended the priest, Mallikarjun Swamy, and launched an internal probe. Hanumanthappa, the executive officer of the department, stated that the priest’s actions violated temple traditions and hurt the sentiments of devotees. The temple has also been temporarily banned from receiving further permissions until the investigation concludes.
Local residents and devotees expressed their anger, deeming it inappropriate to worship a photograph of an individual accused of murder in a sacred space. Darshan’s family, including his wife Vijayalakshmi and brother Dinkar Thoogudeep, have been performing prayers at various temples for his well-being, but this incident has been viewed as crossing a line.
The controversy has highlighted the intense admiration for Darshan and raised questions about the appropriateness of such acts of devotion. The public has called for stricter adherence to temple traditions and respect for the sentiments of the devotees.
