Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently visited the sacred Hasanamba Temple in Hassan, taking part in the vibrant annual Hasanamba festival.
He was joined by several Cabinet colleagues, including Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, along with other key officials. Together, they offered heartfelt prayers to the revered deity.
The temple has seen an overwhelming influx of hundreds of thousands of devotees since its doors opened last week. It’s a special occasion, as devotees are only granted entry during this specific festival period each year.
Following his ‘darshan’ (sacred viewing) of the Goddess, the Chief Minister addressed the media. He expressed his prayers for wisdom and compassion to permeate all citizens, aspiring for Karnataka to embody the vision of poet Kuvempu – “a beautiful garden of all religions.”
“At our core, we are all human beings, and fostering love and understanding for one another is a universal teaching echoed by all faiths. My prayer to the Goddess was for the happiness, peace, and prosperity of every individual in our State,” he shared.
Reflecting on the year, Mr. Siddaramaiah noted the State had experienced abundant rainfall, leading to full reservoirs and generally good harvests for farmers. However, he acknowledged that heavy rains had also caused significant crop damage in certain areas, resulting in substantial losses for agricultural communities. “Around 1.2 million hectares of crops have been impacted,” he stated. “I personally visited some of the worst-affected regions. To mitigate these hardships, we have announced a robust relief package for farmers. Those relying on rain-fed lands will receive ₹17,000 per hectare, farmers with irrigated crops will get ₹25,000 per hectare, and those cultivating multiple crops will be allocated ₹31,000 per hectare in compensation.”
The Chief Minister extended his appreciation to the district administration for their commendable efforts in organizing facilities for the throngs of devotees and thanked the elected representatives for their seamless cooperation.
Mr. Byre Gowda, who also serves as the Minister in charge of the Hassan district, highlighted the impressive turnout, stating that over 880,000 people had visited the Hasanamba Temple in just the past five days. He specifically noted that many of these visitors were women, who benefited immensely from the State government’s “Shakti” scheme, which provides free travel on KSRTC buses.
The Minister elaborated on the increasing number of devotees year-on-year. Despite this surge, he proudly stated that meticulous arrangements ensured that everyone could complete their ‘darshan’ within an average of three to four hours, a significant improvement from the previous year when queues often stretched for eight to ten hours with half the crowd. “This efficiency was a direct result of the collaborative spirit among elected representatives from all political parties, who prioritized public convenience,” he explained.
He further pointed out that women constituted over 60% of the temple visitors, with many small groups traveling from various districts in North Karnataka.
Legislator K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, MP Shreyas M. Patel, and several district officers were also present at the event.