18.06.10 Mangalore : A Naga (Serpent) stone image worshipped continuously for 800 years by faithful people was removed one fine morning by builders’ mafia, at Urva Marigudi region, creating commotion, trauma and anger among the devotees around.
61 cents of land owned by Hoovanna was sold to one Badruddin who in turn sold it to Rohan Moteiro, who again sold the controversial property now to Thammayya, who removed the holy Naga shrine in order to construct a housing complex and make money thereby.
On Wednesday night, a puja was performed at the site and the Image was removed to the lake at Kudupu, according to the knowledge of the local citizens but truth could be different. The finger of suspicion is pointed to the would be builder Thammayya.
The Image belonged to a Telugu Potter family for ages and also the surrounding region devotees, who are in fury at the loss of the Naga Image, and have put forward a demand for at least one cent of land to keep the Image for worship.
The Hindu leaders from Bajrang Dal, VHP and BJP have visited the place on Friday to find out the truth in allegations and counter allegations, and later discussed the crisis threadbare at the BJP office in city. The leaders pleaded for harmony and peace among the angry people who were worshippers of the missing Naga Image, and asked them to wait till June 20, when Harikrishna Thantri will perform a religious enquiry to check whether the Naga would like to shift from the original place of shrine or otherwise.
Thammayya has refused to hand over the Image of worship to the devotee family which is in Mental turmoil. Even if he does not attend the religious ceremony of Prasna (enquiry) the unhappy family would go ahead with the enquiry to get to the root of the problem.
The attention (or Focus) is now on the Thantri who will answer the queries posed by the Naga worshipping family members near Marigudi at Urva.