Hassanamba: Official rushes to invite HD Deve Gowda

Hassan: Responding to criticism over its failure to invite local politicians to the Hassanamba temple during the short time that it will be open to the public between October 20 and November 1, the Hassan district administration on Saturday invited former Prime Minister and Hassan Member of Parliament, H D Deve Gowda to  the temple located in Hassan town.

Assistant Commissioner, Hassan sub-division, Nagraj Hassanamba, who met Mr Deve Gowda at his home in Padmanabha Nagar in Bengaluru to formally invite him to the temple, said he was likely to visit it between October 28 and November 1, accompanied by his family.

The JD(S) supremo has in the past never missed an opportunity to offer prayers at the Hassanamba Temple.  Holenarsipur MLA, H D Revanna, had recently faulted the district administration for failing to invite elected representatives to offer prayers at the temple this year. Meanwhile, as many as  30,000 devotees visited the temple on Friday and  50,000 on Saturday, going by the assistant commissioner.

The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements to handle the rush of people and devotees are offered prasada only after emerging from a darshan of the deity.

While it takes about 45 minutes for those who have bought special tickets to have a darshan, it takes nearly two hours for those entering the temple for free , according to Mr Nagaraj.