Karnataka Water Resources Minister MB Patil recently conducted homa for rains But he was not seen discussing anything to conserve the water received from the rains It is not sure how the Minister plans to save the state from drought with the help of religious rituals
The Karnataka Water Resources Minister MB Patil conducting Parjanya Homa at the cost of Rs 20 lakh for rains is questionable when what he really needs to so is to save the water sources and take measures to conserve water.
Unless the person concerned (here Water Resources Minister) MB Patil takes measures to retain the rainwater, let it percolate and rejuvenate the ground water, no amount of rains can help the state. Being a person in a responsible position, his justification for conducting Homa for rains was that he was doing it personally and not on account of government.
However, this justification came only after he got a backlash from the media and people that the Chief Minister is against religious practices from government and the minister was conducting Homa. The Minister even said that he was spending Rs 20 lakh from his pocket to conduct the ritual in respect of two rivers of Karnataka – Krishna and Cauvery.
Keeping the religious practice aside, the minister was not heard saying anything about the measures to save and conserve the water as the monsoon is nearing. Even if the homa gets rains for the state unless it is conserved, soon the state will run out of the water, and no rains can save the state from being declared drought-hit.
Whatever the religious inclination of the minister is, action should be taken to conserve water, de-silt the lakes, to manage drains properly.
Here are some examples where many influential people conducted Homa in Karnataka.
Karnataka is quite famous for conducting homas. Here are few tweets which prove it. Homa was not only done for the ‘good’ of people but also of the foreigners. For example, people even found former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes performing Homa, last year.
In another incident, Sri Sri Ravishankar of Art of Living was seen performing Parjanya homa for the rains.
More than all these, the ailing Sultan of Oman had called 22 Vedic Brahmins from Karnataka to conduct Homa for his good health. There is no news of his health getting better since the Homa. But still the Homa is not only restricted to India but has even travelled abroad.
