Private annaprasada service stopped at Anjanadri hill, over 35 workers removed

Gangavati: The district administration has stopped the annaprasada (free meal) service that was being organised by private individuals at Kishkindha Anjanadri hill, citing the need to ensure the health and safety of devotees. More than 35 workers who had been appointed by private persons were directed to come down from the hill.

Two days ago, Temple Executive Officer and Tahsildar U. Nagaraj visited the hill and issued notices to three workers who were present on duty. Notices addressed to the remaining workers, who were absent, were pasted on the temple premises. Orders were also issued directing private individuals to immediately stop arranging annaprasada for devotees and restraining those without permission from the temple committee from carrying out any activities on the hill.

The action followed a recent altercation during a visit by Govindananda Saraswati of Hampi to Anjanadri hill for worship. Videos showing verbal abuse and a physical scuffle were circulated on social media and broadcast by electronic media. Taking note of the incident, the State government and the Minister for the Religious Endowments Department directed officials to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Based on these directions, the district administration instructed that private individuals should not distribute food to devotees on the hill and that daily-wage workers appointed by them should not be engaged in any religious or food-related activities. Notices were issued to 35 private workers, and a large banner displaying the notice was installed on the hill.

The notice states that, as per High Court orders, only Mahant Vidyadas Baba is authorised to conduct pooja rituals on the hill and that no other individual is permitted to carry out any work at the temple. For the past three days, no private workers have been seen on the hill.

Meanwhile, the temple administration has been providing annaprasada to devotees between 12 noon and 3 pm. Adequate police and Home Guards personnel have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents, Tahsildar U. Nagaraj said.

It may be recalled that Udayavani newspaper and Udayavani Web News had earlier reported on the engagement of more than 30 private workers for annaprasada and other activities on Anjanadri hill following the dispute between Govindananda Saraswati and Mahant Vidyadas Baba. Subsequently, the district administration and the State government reiterated that annaprasada arrangements in temples under government control must follow strict conditions and that appointing private workers without permission is prohibited. The temple committee is now managing the annaprasada service for devotees.