Gangajal sip at your doorstep

Karnataka is set to get ‘Gangajal’ to celebrate Mahashivaratri on March 2. The state has made arrangements to transport ‘Gangajal’ from North India and distribute it to devotees in various temples across the state, including temples in Bangalore that are maintained by the muzrai department.

Muzrai Development Authority chairman SN Krishnaiah Shetty said on Saturday that ‘Gangajal’ would be brought from Brahmakunda, Haridwar. Two tankers (with 25,000 litres capacity each) have set off from Haridwar and will arrive in Bangalore on March 1.

On Tuesday, Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Balagangadharanatha Swamiji will distribute the ‘Gangajal’ in Rameshwar temple, Chamarajpet. The ‘holy water’ will be sent to 18,000 temples managed by the muzrai department. “Hindus believe that they must drink water from the Ganga at least once in their lifetime. Since many people may not be able to travel to North India to perform this ritual, we decided to give it (‘Gangajal’) to devotees on the occasion of Shivaratri. We are not spending money from the state exchequer. I spent Rs10 lakh in my personal capacity for the good of the people,” said Shetty. In 2009, when he was muzrai minister, Shetty donated Rs2.5 lakh in order to transport Ganga water. Also, Shetty had distributed over three lakh ‘laddus’ in temples on the occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadashi.