Mangaluru: He is undoubtedly the architect of the famous Mangaluru Dasara. It is the vision and belief of former Minister B Janardhan Poojary that the festivity has become the signature event of the coastal belt and obviously it was an emotional moment when the doyen of Mangaluru Dasara announced that he may not be alive to see the next Dasara.
In what he termed as his last press conference about Dasara, Poojary, on Monday said, “I am not sure if I will be alive till next Dasara. This would be my last Dasara related press meet.”
An otherwise energetic Poojary looked ill as he spoke to reporters at Kudroli Gokarnatheshwara Temple.
An emotional Poojary during the press meet said, “Yesterday, I have stayed up till late night looking after the preparations for Mangaluru Dasara. As my health condition is bad, this is my last press meet on Dasara.”
Poojary, who has had a glorious political career is responsible for the growth and present glory of Kudroli Temple. Even the credit of resplendent Dasara festivity goes to him. This apart, he has been a daredevil reformer who took the risk of questioning some longstanding practices and also trying to abolish them. Appointing women and Dalit priests at Kudroli Temple is one of them.
A diehard Congressman, Poojary turned into a critic of Siddaramaiah government and has till date been vocal about issues, policies and stands of the state government, which he thought were going against the interest of the state and the people.
