Temples across Karnataka hold special prayers for soldiers’ safety

A day after the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’ conducted by the Indian Armed Forces, the Karnataka government on Thursday directed all temples under the Endowment Department to hold special prayers seeking blessings for the soldiers. In Bengaluru, special pujas and prayers were conducted on Wednesday evening at the Karanji Anjaneyaswamy Temple in Basavanagudi. On Thursday, ceremonies continued at historic sites like Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple in Hanumanthanagar, Banashankari Temple, Kadu Malleshwara Temple, and Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Temple in Malleswaram. Priests offered the first puja dedicated to the soldiers, making solemn resolutions for their safety and protection.

Across the state, similar ceremonies were held. At the Nimishambha Temple in Srirangapatna, Narasimha Jharna and Mylara Mallanna temples, Honnikeri Siddeshwara and Changallera Veerabhadreshwara temples in Bidar district, special prayers were conducted. Temples in Bagalkot, Ballari, and Vijayanagar districts, including the Tulasigeri Anjaneya Temple and Vadakaraya Temple in Hosapete, also joined the initiative. Other prominent temples such as Ganagapura in Kalaburagi district, Maha Ganapathi Temple in Gokarna, Omkareshwara Temple in Madikeri, Chamundi Temple in Mysuru, and Bhoganarasimha Swamy Temple in Devarayanadurga participated as well.

The Indian Army had carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the early hours of Wednesday, striking terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, avenging the lives lost in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. The government’s directive emphasized the unity and collective prayers of citizens as a tribute to the bravery of the armed forces.