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BANGALORE, INDIA, May 31, 2003: Faced with acute water scarcity and the prospect of the monsoon being delayed, the Karnataka government is asking temples to conduct pujas to bring rain. Places of worship will reverberate with prayers on June 4 and 5, seeking the assistance of the Gods to solve the crisis as drinking water sources are fast dwindling because the rains have failed for the last three years. Karnataka Minister for Rural Water Supply K. B. Koliwad told a press conference in Bangalore on Saturday that he has asked all elected representatives to organize prayers at all places of worship and mobilize people to pray for rain. This is not the first time the Karnataka government has undertaken such a step. The late R. Gundu Rao made such an attempt in the 1970s directing “the Muzrai department” to ensure that bells rang out in temples and prayers rent the air to gain the help of the Gods. In 1988 after the state was devastated by three successive drought years, the government performed a puja at the Thippagondanahally reservoir, which supplies drinking water to one-third of the city, to bring rain. While the much publicized puja performed by late Shivabalayogi failed to bring rain immediately, in the next two years the Thippagondanahally reservoir was filled to the brim following copious rain in the Arkavathi river catchments area. Koliwad said in Ranebennur district he would visit all the places of worship on both days and offer prayers. Karnataka’s Chief Minister, S. M. Krishna, has already worshiped near Mangalore, Sringeri, Thirupathi, Chamundi Hills and M. M. Hills, where his family deity is worshipped.

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