Udupi, (The Hindu): The Akhil Karnataka Nathapantha Jogi Samaj Seva Samiti and the Halavari Mutt Abhivridhi Samiti has objected to what they termed attempts to take over the rituals and other facilities at the centuries-old Guppi Guhalaya shrine belonging to the Natha sect by the nearby Brahmi Durgaparmeshwari Temple at Kamalashile village in Udupi district.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Keshav Koteshwar, president of the State unit of the Akhil Karnataka Nathapantha Jogi Samaj Seva Samiti, said that the Guppi Guhalaya shrine is located in a cave amid a forest at Kamalashile.

He said that though the government had declared the area around the shrine as reserve forest, it had given 27 cents of land in the forest to the Jogi community to carry on its prayers and other traditions at the shrine. The deities, Sri Kalabhairava, Sri Amma and Naga, were worshipped at the shrine. The rituals were being conducted by a family belonging to the Jogi community (Natha sect) since centuries.

He said that though there was a historical relation of this shrine with the nearby temple, the conduct of rituals at the shrine was the exclusive preserve of the Jogi community. There is a connection between the shrine and the Halavari Mutt (affiliated to Gorakhpur Moola Mutt) located at Yeddamogge, about seven kilometres from the shrine. Till recently, the shrine used to receive 10 “murras” of rice from the Halavari Mutt.

At present, Basava Jogi and his son, Raghavendra Jogi, are looking after the shrine. Since Basava Jogi was old, Raghavendra Jogi takes care of the shrine. A few years ago, the latter began taking devotees who came to the village to the shrine. This was the source of livelihood for the family, he said.

But as the shrine started attracting more devotees and adventure tourists, the temple authorities installed a hundi (money box) for temple renovation, he said and added that the family did not object to it. But recently, the temple authorities went a step ahead and appointed salaried workers to guide the devotees to the shrine. This affected the earnings of the family.

When the family questioned the temple authorities and tried to resolve the matter amicably, they were ignored. “We approached government officers and Gopal Poojary, Byndoor MLA, but they washed their hands off the issue. We want our rights to be preserved. The hundi and temple guides should be removed,” he said.

The samiti would hold a “Guppi Guhalaya Chalo” at Kamalashile on Saturday. “If the matter is still not resolved, we will intensify the agitation and even approach Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” Mr. Koteshwar said.