Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the 127th Punyaradhane of Sri Guru Malleshwara at Devanuru village in Nanjangud taluk, Mysore district, on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, and offered prayers for the welfare of all. The event was organised by Sri Gurumalleshwara Maha Sansthana Dasoha Math.

Context

The Punyaradhane is an annual commemoration marking the death anniversary of a revered spiritual figure, observed with religious discourses, community feeding (dasoha), and public gatherings at the math. The 127th edition of this observance honouring Sri Guru Malleshwara was held at the math's base in Devanuru, a village that draws devotees from across the Mysore region each year for the occasion.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attended the inauguration and, as he noted in his post, 'prayed for the welfare of all' (sarvara kalyaanakkaagi praarthisidde). The math's spiritual head, Sri Mahanta Swamiji, presided over the proceedings.

Policy Backdrop

Maths and religious institutions in the Mysore-Nanjangud belt wield considerable social influence, often serving as centres for community welfare, education, and dispute resolution. The Dasoha tradition — a Veerashaiva-Lingayat concept of free community feeding — represents a centuries-old model of social service that state governments have periodically sought to support through grants and recognition.

Karnataka's Congress government has maintained an active engagement with religious and community institutions across caste and faith lines as part of its outreach strategy in the state's southern districts.

Attendees and Community Impact

Several prominent political and social figures attended alongside the Chief Minister. Former Karnataka minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, legislators Darshan Dhruva Narayana and Ganesh Prasad, and other dignitaries were present at the event, according to Siddaramaiah's post.

The Punyaradhane draws large numbers of devotees and local residents to Devanuru, making it a significant annual gathering for communities in Nanjangud taluk. The math's dasoha activities — community meals and welfare programmes — benefit villagers and pilgrims throughout the event.

What's Next

The Chief Minister's visit to Nanjangud taluk is likely to be followed by continued engagement with religious and community institutions in the Mysore region, an area that holds electoral and cultural significance for the state's ruling party. Further visits by state leaders to this taluk ahead of any local body developments would reinforce the Congress government's grassroots presence in southern Karnataka.