Bengaluru: In Karnataka, the difference between the spiritual and the temporal has completely blurred in recent years.
Religious and spiritual leaders take great interest in matters of politics. And politicians seek their advice and use them to achieve their goals.
Not a single day passes by without a highly political statement by a seer or soothsayer.
The highly polarised state politics is now witnessing a strange war of words between the seer of an ancient Veerashaiva mutt and a semi-nomadic tribe over HD Kumaraswamy and BS Yeddyurappa.
The Rambhapuri Seer at Balehonnur near Chikmagalur triggered a fresh round of controversy by ‘predicting’ that Yeddyurappa would once again become the Chief Minister. He hinted that the current JD(S)-Congress coalition government would ‘collapse’ soon.
The ‘Sudugadu Siddaru’, a semi-nomadic tribe which is said to practise the occult and witchcraft, has hit back at the Veerashaiva seer, saying Kumaraswamy would complete the full five-year term as Chief Minister and that “no power on earth” can unseat him.
The ‘Sudugadu Siddaru’ had accurately predicted three months before the Assembly elections that Kumaraswamy would make it to the top post, irrespective of the results. They had said that the entire tribe would quit their ancient profession if their ‘prediction’ didn’t come true.
The Veerashaiva seer's statement has irked the tribe and they maintain that they can never be wrong. They have once again challenged the seer that they would quit the profession if they are proven wrong.
The Rambhapuri seer had openly backed the BJP during the elections and is reportedly upset over Yeddyurappa losing power in just 56 hours.
The ‘Sudugadu Siddaru’ used to live in the Hindu burial grounds or crematoriums. The state government has settled them in special colonies in the recent years.
Both feared and respected by believers, the tribe moves from place to place, making predictions. According to recent Census, their population in Karnataka is around 9,000.
Comments
0 comment