HDK to be Radhika’s chief guest on V-Day

Former chief minister's plan to take part in a fertility ritual organised by the lady has rumour mills churning

HDK to be Radhika's chief guest on V-Day

Former chief minister's plan to take part in a fertility ritual organised by the lady has rumour mills churning

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and actress Radhika will be together for Valentine's Day and they are making no bones about it.

Radhika has distributed invitation cards which mention the former CM as the chief guest for au00a0 Nagamandalau00a0 at her native place Paaltaje near Mangalore.u00a0

The Nagamandalau00a0 ritual, which is normally practised in South Canara to worship the snake god, will start at midnight and end with a grand pooja at sunrise.

Fertility ritual

"The ritual is usually done by people who want to have children or possess property," said Krishna Somayaji, a resident of Radhika's hometown, Paaltaje. "We don't know why Radhika's organising it but it's a grand arrangement."

Radhika is said to have bought a farmhouse in Paaltaje recently, and has built a new house there. Paaltaje is where Radhika was born and brought up.

The local view

u00a0"I think it is an effort to set gossip at rest," said a journalist from Mangalore. " Following recent media reports about the couple's holiday to Male, both were looking for an opportunity to clear the air and I think they are making things official slowly."

Change in plan

According to the original plan, Kumraswamy's MLA wife Anitha was to accompany him, but she stayed back due to a business meeting.

Kumaraswamy left for South Canara yesterday morningu00a0 and visited Siddhi Vinayaka temple at Hatti Angadi. He was scheduled to spend the night at Kolloru and leave for Paaltaje this morning after a pooja at Mookambika temple.

"I want to meet people of this part of the state," said Kumaraswamy. "I am also visiting temples as our family is religious." He did not wish to speak about the Nagamandala.

Fertility ritual
Nagamandala is a variant of serpent worship rituals prevalent in South Canara. The night-long ritual is performed to appease the snake god. The celebration is considered a fertility rite and employs music, dance and Sanskrit chants.