Controversial ’Made Snana’ held at Kukke Subramanya Temple

Bangalore Mirror

Mangalore, 07 December 2013:  Despite a demand to ban ’Madae Snana’ at the famous Kukke Subrahmanya Temple about 100 kilometers from Mangalore, about 200 devotees participated on the first day of the ceremony, at the temple on Friday, 6 December 2013.

 

’Madae Snana’ is a practice where devotees roll on plantain leaves with leftover food still on them, in the belief that they will be cured of illnesses, especially skin ailments.

 

Devotees from across the state participated in the practice that began at about 1.30 pm at the temple premises.

 

 

Progressive thinkers and various orgranisations raised objections to the practice about three years ago. In 2011, organisations against the ritual questioned why anybody should roll on food left over by Brahmins. It is a blind belief and should be abolished from society, they said. But a majority of the devotees, including those outside the region who participate in the ritual annually, maintained that the question of community does not arise. It is about a belief or vow taken that they believe in and if followed on this auspicious day, will solve all problems, they held.

 

In November 2012, the state government appealed to the High Court to permit alteration of ’Madae Snana’. Instead of leftover food, the devotees were expected to roll over on ’Navideyam’ offered to God. Those in favour of the ritual approached the apex court, which in turn stayed the high court order and ordered a status quo be maintained in the matter in December last year.