The Bappanadu Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple in Mulki has barred vendors from setting up shops in the temple area during the ongoing annual temple fair that began from Wednesday, April 5. This is following controversy last year when a banner was displayed outside the temple asking temple authorities not to allow Muslim vendors to set up stalls for the temple fair.
Temple heriditary trustee N.S. Manohar Shetty said the temple stands as a symbol of communal harmony and people from different faiths, including Muslims, revere the deity.
“We were pained over last year’s development. Though the (Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments) Act provides for barring use of temple property by non-Hindus, we (temple administration committee) decided not have any stalls in the temple area for the ongoing temple fair. We want the fair to go in a harmonious manner and did not want any controversy,” he said.
Moreover, Mr. Shetty said, the decision was also prompted because having shops in temple land was causing problem for devotees to park their vehicles.
Mr. Shetty said vendors are free to have stalls in the private property, which is adjoining the temple land, if the owner agrees. A separate committee of devotees is looking at administration of the shops in the private property and temple has no say in it. The devotees committee looks after lighting for the temple fair. A part of money collected by the devotees committee for allotment of shops is given to the temple, he said.
The issue came to light following visit by some Muslim vendors to the temple on Tuesday, April 4, seeking permission of the temple managing committee to set up stalls for the fair. While vendors alleged that the temple committee denied permission to Muslim vendors, managing committee members refuted the allegation and said they clearly told that no vendor will be allowed to open stall on temple land.
