Sharanabasavehwar Yatra and Rathotsava on March 19
KALABURAGI; The 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi of the Sharanabasaveshwar Samasthan Poojya Dr Sharnbaswappa Appaji and Chairperson of the Sharnabasaweshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Matoshree Dr Dakshayini Avvaji said today that the historic 203rd Sharanabasaveshwar Yatra and famed Sharanabasaveshwar Rathotsava would be held on March 19 commemorating the 203rd death anniversary of the saint and social reformer Lord Sharanabasaveshwara, who was an embodiment of sacrifice and who made the spirit of dasoha culture a way of life among the people of the region.
The day would also commemorate the 203rd ascension of the holy order (Peetarohana) of the successive Mahadasoha Peetadhipathis after Lord Sharanabasaveshwara.
The Rathotsava would be preceded by the drawing of the smaller version of the Ratha which is popularly known as Uchchayi.
They said that the people from across the country and abroad cutting across the communal lines converge in the sprawling Sharanabasaveshwar Shrine complex to witness the historic event of the display of the silver plate (Prasada Battalu) used by the saint. The Prasada Battalu which is displayed once in a year during the car festival would be displayed to the devotees by Dr Appaji and Chiranjivi Appa to signal the beginning of the Rathotsava . Along with the Prasada Battalu, the devotees would also get a chance to have a glmpse of the “Linga Sajjike”(the casket made of pure Sandalwood used by Lord Sharanabasaveshwar for keeping the Linga).
The devotees from far flung districts in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and the various parts of Karnataka throng the shrine to be part of the annual Yatra and the Rathotsava in which the idol of the Sharnabasaveshwar is placed in a flower bedecked Ratha and drawn to a distance inside the sprawling shrine complex by the devotees. Thousands of devotees walk the entire distance from their distant villages to fulfill their woes and as a sense of gratitude to Lord Sharnabasaveshwar
Dr Avvaji said that as part of the annual yatra and Ratotsava Poojya Dr Appaji has decided to confer the prestigious Appa Award to Dr Sidda Totendra Shivacharyara Mahaswamigalu of Kori Siddeshwara Mutt in Nalwar in Chitapur taluk in Kalaburagi district and Dasoha Jnana Ratna Award to Aland MLA Mr B R Patil in recognition of their immense contribution to the society. The award carries a cash award of Rs 51000 each and a plaque and a commendation certificate.
Secretary of the Sharanabasaveshwar Vidya Vardak Sangha Mr Basavaraj Deshmukh who was also present said that as part of the Rathotsava three books on the various facets of the life of the 7th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Poojya Doddappa Appaji, 8th Mahadasoha Peetadhipathi Poojya Dr Sharanabaswappa Appaji and 9th Peetadhipathi of the Samasthan Chiranjivee Doddappa Appaji would be released on Monday.
The mortal remains of 19h Century Social Reformer Sharanabasaveshwara is enshrined in the temple and Sharanabasaveshwar Shrine is one of its kind in the entire region which does not house any donation box (Hundi) which is an integral part of the temples all over.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrine to have darshan of the gaddige and idol of Lord Sharanabasaveshwar are also dissuaded from offering any money to the pujaris at the time of offering Artis and other religious rituals. Instead the devotees, particularly the farmers in the region donate a portion of their harvest from their agricultural fields to the Shrine for providing food free of cost to the hungry stomachs visiting the shrine every day.
The selfless service of the Saint Sharanabasaveshwar during the worstever famine in the 19th Century in the region which claimed scores of lives had transformed Sharanabasaveshwara from an ordinary soul to a saint. The saint Sharanabasaveshwar gave new meaning to the culture of Dasoha (mass feeding) during the 18th century famine and he used to personally visit the houses of the rich and affluent and collect foodgrains to feed the poor in the gruel centers started in different centers.
The Rathotsava would be followed by an exhibition in the Yatra Maidan opposite the shrine, which is being organized by the Samasthan for the past 200 plus years in which the traders from all over the country put up their stalls and separate area is reserved for the play stations for the children to spend some quality time.
Another feature of this year’s Ratotsava was the Drama on the life and times of Lord Sharanabasaveshwar would be played for three days –a day preceding Ugadi, on the day of Ugadi and a day after Ugadi.