Temple in Karnataka worships Mahatma Gandhi; offer tea, coffee and bananas

Mangaluru: With an aim to spread the message of peace, non-violence and communal harmony espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, devotees offer prayers to his statue at a temple in Mangaluru's Garodi area.

Prayers, along with tea, coffee and bananas, are rendred to Gandhi's idol by the temple priest at Shri Bramha Baidarkala Kshetra, three times a day. Like other deities, Bapu also has a separate small temple for him.

"In 1948, a separate shrine was built for him and in 2006, his statue was recreated. Youth are inspired by him," said Prakash Garodi, a devotee.

The temple is cleaned fortnightly by the devotee to spread the awareness about the sanitation.

"Mahatama Gandhi has always made cleanliness and sanitation an integral part of his way of living,' Prakash added.