The absence of Muslim traders was conspicuous as the daylight car festival ushered in the annual temple celebrations at Bappanadu Shri Durgaparameshwari Temple in Mulki on Wednesday.
Just days before the start of the annual temple festival, banners sprang up declaring that Muslim traders were banned from setting up shops on the premises of the temple, which ironically had been propagating communal peace in society since time immemorial.
Unlike previous years, only Hindu traders were seen selling jasmine flowers to devotees who offer them to presiding deity Shri Durgaparameshwari as an expression of thanksgiving for fulfilling their wishes.
Temple sources said as many as 85 Muslim traders had submitted applications to set up shops.
As many as 53 among them had sought a refund of stall rent and one trader among them had placed the entire money in the temple’s offering box.
Temple’s hereditary trustee Dugganna Savanth said many Muslim traders on their own did not open shops in order to avoid unpleasant incidents.
Temple’s managing trustee N S Manohar Shetty clarified that the temple had not issued any order banning Muslim traders.
As in past, the contract to set up stalls was awarded to two local organisations. The temple is in no way connected with the controversy, he added.
Former managing trustee of Shri Kshetra Bappanadu Harikrishna Punaroor said it was wrong to practice discrimination among street vendors in temple premises.
He recollected that while serving as managing trustee, both Christians and Muslims used to visit the temple.
‘Ban Muslims’
Meanwhile, Puttur Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Dr Krishna Prasanna appealed to Puttur Mahathobara Mahalingeshwara Temple president Muliya Keshav Prasad to prevent Muslim traders from opening shops during the temple’s annual car festival planned in April.
The VHP in its appeal said that many members from the Muslim community had been involved in desecrating temples, shrines and hurting the sentiments of devotees.
Thus, Muslim traders should not be allowed to sell anything on the temple premises, they said.
Firecracker experts distraught
Families that have been involved in the tradition of making special firecrackers, that are lit prior to the start of religious festivities, car festivals, Harake Yakshaganas, among others, are a distraught lot.
An elderly ‘Gurnal Sahebru’ recollected being flooded with requests to supply firecrackers for Hindu festivals during pre-Covid times.
“Post-Covid, the requests dipped and this year we are yet to receive offers to provide firecrackers to organisers of temple festivals. There are nearly 20 such families who eke a living by making and selling such firecrackers,” he said.