Somanna in astrological dilemma after slipper-gate

Even after the humiliation caused by Saturday's slipper attack in the Vidhana Soudha, Somanna's task to evade bad luck continues; his astrologer has advised for some difficult cleansing rituals

Somanna in astrological dilemma after slipper-gate

Even after the humiliation caused by Saturday's slipper attack in the Vidhana Soudha, Somanna's task to evade bad luck continues; his astrologer has advised for some difficult cleansing rituals

While many in the city are wondering where and when another slipper-gate will happen, others cannot put aside thoughts about what lengths of absurdity our elected leaders can go to ensure they stay in office forever.

Shortly after Minister V Somanna felt the sting of rubber slippers on his face repeatedly on Saturday at the hands of B S Prasad, a disgruntled supporter-turned rebel, and is struggling hard to avoid embarrassment, he is now heading towards another predicament of sorts.

As reported yesterday, Somanna was advised by leading astrologers in the city to undergo certain cleansing rituals, though the slipper attack was said to bring good luck to the victim for various astrological reasons.

Interestingly, Somanna's astrologer Daivajna Somayaji said the remedy leaves the minister with two options shave his entire body from head to toe, including eyebrows, or donate a buffalo to a willing beneficiary.

The minister met with Somayaji yesterday and was advised to perform Mahisha Daana donation of a buffalo to anyone to avoid any downfall that could be caused when assaulted with someone's footwear.
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This however is proving to be a daunting task for Somanna since no one seems to be willing to accept the buffalo.

The catch is that according to popular belief, accepting a buffalo is inauspicious, unlike in the case of accepting a cow.

"The Buffalo is a symbol of death and people believe that one takes the donor's death and sins if they accept
the donated animal.
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Accepting a cow is considered auspicious, so Go Daana - gifting of a cow is preferred unlike Mahisha Daana. While the acceptor is yet to be identified, the ritual is not yet be performed," said Somayaji.

Though Somayaji said slipper beatings are inauspicious and would bring downfall to the victim, he also said that Somanna's case was milder.

According to him, since the incident took place before noon, good luck was in the offing, provided the victim
performs the ritual religiously.

"Somanna has received beating on his face and slipper contact to the upper portion of the body is considered inauspicious for men and the remedy is to perform the specified ritual," Somayaji said.

Quoting scripture, he said the victim must shave the entire body including eyebrows and take a dip in a holy river.

"Shaving the entire body, including eyebrows, is not advisable for a public figure such as a minister. Buffalo donation is among the alternative rituals," he said.

Somanna has to give away rice and pulses to a Brahmin or to a religious institute, apart from donating a buffalo to any individual.

Easier said

While donating grain is not the problem, finding a willing taker for the buffalo is proving to be an uphill task.
However, Somayaji appears to have a few tricks up his sleeve and is willing to find one such willing individual.
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"If Somanna wants I can help him with identifying an acceptor. There are ways and means to do it," he added.
Somanna said he was ready to take the astrologer's advice. "I went to Somayaji to seek his blessings and he has advised me.
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I always follow elders' wise words. We are facing troubles for no fault of ours and I think these are testing times for us. We will overcome it with the blessings of elders like Somayaji," the minister said.

Falling down
Analysing the incident, Somayaji said if Somanna had fallen during slipper attack, it would have resulted in
negative effect on the government because he was a cabinet minister.u00a0

"Symbolically, it is the government that has been attacked because Somanna is a minister and it took place in the Vidhana Soudha. But, the government is safe for now because he did not fall down," he added.

Other astrologers in the state seem to have found some loopholes in Somayaji's analysis.u00a0

"As such, no scripture mentions about the evils caused due to slipper attack. I don't know which scripture Somayaji's is quoting in this case.

I appeal to politicians not to be superstitious," said Ranganatha Joshi, an astrologer.

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