Faith rules for the believers

Kukke Subrahmanya (DK District): Naveen Kumar, employee of a blue chip company in Bangalore, has no qualms in taking part in the Made Snana on the outer precincts of the Kukke Subrahmanya temple. Nor is he ashamed of it as he firmly believes that it has done more good than harm.
An MSW post graduate from Mangalore, he has been doing it for three years for his well being.He is not a case in isolation as there were many, educated and illiterate, standing in the queue to perform the much criticized ritual as they believed that their vow has either got rid of their ailments or brought them good luck.
Sreenishna K from Bangalore, a BCom graduate, is doing it for the eighth consecutive year, and she has seen perceivable benefits from it. “I have not decided how many years I will do it. I will do it as long as I’m capable of doing it,’’ she says.
Savitha B from Yenekallu near Subrahmanya has been doing it since three years after she was rid of a skin ailment. “I visited many doctors for my skin problem. I was fed up of taking medicines. Finally I took a vow that I will perform this ritual and the problem is no more,’’ she said. Kavitha from Mangalore, too, had an incurable patch of skin on her elbow. “Since three years I have been doing this ritual. The patch has reduced to the size of a coin,’’ she said, showing the elbow.
Kukke Subrahmanya seer Vidyaprasanna Teertha told TOI that let the ritual be reviewed before banning it. “It has been going on since 700 years according to scriptures. It’s people’s belief that it helps them and who are we to stop them,’’ he questions.
As opposed to popular belief that only ‘others’ take part in this ritual, on Monday there were at least 50 or more Brahmins who took part in the ritual. Chethana Rao, who is the daughter of a priest at the temple performing the sarpasamskara, said she took the vow to perform this if she completed her education and got employment. “I passed M.Sc in flying colours and got a job in a pharma company in Bangalore. Here I am fulfilling my vow,’’ Chethana said adding she will continue to take part in the ritual as long as she can.