Mysore: Baagina is a sacred offering to the river goddess as a thanksgiving gesture for bountiful rains. CM Siddaramaiah made the offering to river Cauvery at KRS dam but his wife Parvathi—who had earlier skipped his oath-taking ceremony—was absent this time too.

According to a noted astrologer, any auspicious spiritual ritual, be it Yaaga, Lagna or Baagina to the river, should be conducted by the wife along with her husband. Kings of Mysore and past CMs offered Baagina with their wives barring exceptional cases where the CM did not have a wife—for example former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Interestingly, none of the ministers who accompanied the CM—Housing Minister Ambareesh, Revenue Minister, V. Srinivasprasad and Co-operative Minister, S. S. Mahadevprasad— brought their wives along with them to offer Baagina!