Mangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar participated in the Mangaluru Dasara celebrations and offered prayers to Lord Gokarnanatha and Goddess Sharada at the Sri Gokarnanatha Temple in Kudroli.
In a statement following the visit, Shivakumar said he felt spiritually blessed after worshipping Lord Gokarnanatha and the Goddess in her form as Shakti at the temple.
Highlighting the teachings of Brahmasri Narayana Guru, he said the temple stood for equality, philosophical ideals and spiritual guidance. He prayed for lasting peace, love, harmony and prosperity in the coastal region.
Shivakumar also invoked Lord Shiva through a traditional Sanskrit prayer, paying homage to the deity as Maheshwara and the eternal, pure and ascetic Lord.
Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U.T. Khader, Udupi district in-charge minister Rizwan Arshad, MP C.A. Brijesh Chowta, and MLAs Mankal Vaidya and Vedavyas Kamath were among those present.
Legislative Council members Manjunath Bhandari and Ivan D’Souza, former minister Ramanath Rai, KPCC Publicity Committee president Vinay Kumar Sorake, other political leaders and members of the temple administration also attended.
Mangaluru Dasara is one of the prominent religious and cultural festivals of coastal Karnataka, attracting large numbers of devotees and visitors to the city every year.