Temples told to perform eclipse pooja

Bangalore: In a surprise move, the state government, to ward off any evil influence through Monday's solar eclipse, has issued a circular asking temples run by the muzrai department to perform special pooja in the afternoon, after the eclipse is over.
In a statement issued by muzrai minister Es En Krisshnaiah Setty late on Sunday, the government has directed A and B category temples to perform special pooja to ward off evil effects.The statement read: "Based on the suggestions made by agama pandits (priests), who have predicted that Monday's solar eclipse would spell severe negative effects on the state and its people, all Shaiva and Vaishnava muzrai temples have been asked perform Mrutanjaya japa and havana, Udaka Shanti and Nakshatra havana.''
Though special pooja is regular a affair during eclipses, perhaps this is the first time the government is issuing an official order to counter the ill-effects of eclipse.
Known for making unique announcements like this, Setty had last June issued a controversial order asking government-run temples to perform daily pooja in the name of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and the government. The government did a U-turn after the decision attracted criticism from many quarters. Though the circular was withdrawn, Setty defended his decision by arguing that the order was issued not for personal good of the chief minister or the state government, but with intentions of having timely rain and yield in the state. He also said that such an order was issued in 2000 when S M Krishna was chief minister.
Setty had also made news recently during the Association of Kannada Kootas in America (AKKA), a pro-Kannada event held in US last year, by presenting 5,000 huge portraits of Lord Venkateshwara supplementing them with Tirupati laddus.