Disputed shrine’s ceiling caves in

A portion of the ceiling of the disputed Bababudangiri shrine in Chickmagalur district in Karnataka caved in on Sunday.

The collapse of a portion of the weak ceiling took place even as the district administration had sought advice from Torsteel Research Foundation in India to strengthen the same.

The priest of the cave shrine first noticed the damage when he went to clean the premises on Sunday. He immediately brought the matter to the notice of the district administration.

Earlier, the district administration had learnt about the ceiling of the shrine becoming weak and had sought advice from the Torsteel Research Foundation for its upkeep. A team of technical personnel too had visited the shrine recently and were understood to be preparing a report on its upkeep.

Superintendent of Chikmagalur district police Vipul Kumar, who confirmed the collapse of a part of the ceiling, said the debris inside the cave will be cleaned after consulting experts.

The gaping hole formed the ceiling of the cave shrine through the collapse has now been covered with a tarpaulin. Permission has also been sought from the Religious Endowment Department of Karnataka Government to repair the same.

The authorities have also suspended the viewing of the silver sandals by the devotees inside the shrine. Devotees regularly visit the shrine for a darshan of the silver sandals kept inside the shrine.