Thousands of devotees participate in the religious rituals to mark the 90th Birthday celebrations of Poojya Dr Sharnbaswappa Appaji
KALABURAGI; The famed Sharnbasaveshwar Shrine wore a festive look with thousands of devotees thronging the shrine to offer “Laksha Bilvarcharne” of offering the holy Bilva Leaves to the idol of Lord Sharnbasaveshwar praying for a healthy and long life to 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi of the Sharanabasaveshwar Samasthan Poojya Dr Sharanabaswappa Appaji as part of Dr Appaji’s 90th Birthday celebrations in Kalaburagi city on Thursday.
Right from the early hours of Thursday the devotees started converging in the shrine to participate in the Laksha Bilvarchane ritual to mark the beginning of the day long birthday celebrations of Dr Appaji. Matoshree Poojya Dr Dakshayini Avvaji who would be celebrating her 55th Birthday on November 22, and 9th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Chiranjivee Poojya Doddappa Appa who celebrated his 8th Birthday on November 01 along with sisters Bhavani and Shivani and Secretary of the Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Mr Basavaraj Deshmukh and other family members Dr Appaji were among those who arrived early in the morning to the shrine to participate in the religious rituals.
Prominent among others who participated in the Bilvacharne rituals included heads of different religious maths led by Chief of the Belagumpi Brahan Math Sri Abhinava Parvateshwara Shivacharyaru. Chiranjivee Doddappa Appaji offered Padapuja to Sri Abhinva Parvateshwara Shivacharyaru as a mark of respect. Matoshree Poojya Dr Dakshayini Avvaji and Chiranjivee Doddappa Appa along with other family members of Dr Appaji sat through three hour long religious rituals in the Shrine complex.
The Religious Math heads led by Sri Abhinava Parvateshwara Shivacharyaru initiated “Ayyacharya” and Linga Dharane to twelve children as part of the birthday celebrations. Later more than 300 devotees were provided Linga Deekshe as part of the religious rituals of the day. Gulbarga South MLA Mr Allamprabhu Patil visited the shrine and participated briefly in the Laksha Bilvarcharne and sought the blessing of Matoshree Dr Dakshayini Avvaji and Chiranjivee Doddappa Appa.
The Laksha Bilvacharne rituals in the shrine was hosted by Veerashaiva Lingayata Maha Vedike. Matoshree Dakshayini Avvaji, Chiranjivee Doddappa Appa and Mr Basavaraj Deshmukh were honoured on the occasion by the office bearers of the Vedike. Chiranjivee Doddappa Appa in his brief address thanked the vedhike for organizing the religious rituals and honouring him and others.
Others who participated in the religious rituals included Vice Chancellor of the Sharnbasva University Prof Anilkumar Bidve, Registrar Dr S G Dollegoudar, Dean Dr Lakshmi Patil Maka, Registrar Evaluation Dr S H Honnalli, Finance Officer Dr Kiran Maka and others.