As rumours about cracks on the idol spread like wildfire, devotees rushed to the temple only to find that all was peaceful and nothing was amiss.
Bengaluru: Worshippers rushed to the Dodda Ganapathi Temple on Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, on Friday after hearing rumours about cracks on the idol.
Temple authorities too were left shocked and puzzled after several people from the neighbourhood rushed to the temple, asking them about cracks appearing on the idol. Rumours started doing the rounds, only to find that nothing of that sort had happened. Devotees were shocked and disturbed after hearing that the Ganesha idol which they had been worshipping for generations had developed cracks.
A temple priest said that at around 11 am, many TV channel crews started asking them if any cracks had appeared on the idol. A resident of Basavanagudi also stated that he had rushed to the temple after hearing this news.
Huge crowds were already present at the temple in the morning since JD(S) president H Vishwanath and his supporters had come there to celebrate his birthday.
Omakarappa H, executive officer, Dodda Ganapathi Temple (from the endowment department), dismissed the rumours of cracks appearing on the idol. He said that the idol is completely covered in flowers as decoration. He stated that there was absolutely no problem with the idol and that they had no idea as to how the rumours started spreading. Omakarappa also confirmed that the flower decorations were toned down to show the idol more clearly to worshippers and to prove that there are no cracks to hide.
The idol is made of an 8-foot-high, 12-foot-wide monolithic stone. The Dodda Ganapathi temple is known for hosting Kadalekai Parishe, the annual groundnut mela, which is a major event in south Bengaluru.