Karnataka temples hold special prayers for soldiers after Operation Sindoor

The initiative began at Nimishambha Temple, with similar rituals held at other temples, including Gavi Gangadhareshwara in Bengaluru.

In a significant move following the successful execution of Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces, the Karnataka government on Thursday directed all Muzrai temples across the state to conduct special prayers, invoking divine protection and blessings for Indian soldiers.

Special prayers were held at a Bengaluru temple by Karnataka government.

Muzrai temples, which are state-administered and central to Karnataka’s religious and cultural fabric, played a pivotal role in this statewide spiritual gesture. Prominent shrines under the department were instructed to organise rituals honouring the armed forces.

Leading the initiative, priests at the famed Nimishambha Temple in Srirangapatna, located in Mandya district, performed the first round of special worship early Thursday morning. With solemn chants and ritual offerings, they prayed for the safety and success of the Indian soldiers. The temple, known for its spiritual significance and large devotee base, became the symbolic starting point of this unique campaign.

Similar prayers were offered at Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, a historic rock-cut temple in Bengaluru, where devotees and priests alike came together to pay tribute to the armed forces through Vedic hymns and rituals.

Apart from Karnataka, support also poured in from outside the state. In Mumbai, special prayers were conducted at the revered Shree Siddhivinayak Temple. Acharya Pawan Tripathi, Treasurer of the temple trust, personally led the prayer session, seeking divine grace for the armed forces and the continued success of their missions.

The nationwide spiritual solidarity comes in the wake of high-impact missile strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor. According to satellite images released by Maxar Technologies and reviewed by Reuters, Indian precision strikes obliterated terror infrastructure in Bahawalpur and Muridke in Pakistan. These areas are believed to be strongholds of terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The strikes were India’s response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, most of them tourists. The retaliatory operation, launched in the early hours of Wednesday, marked a significant escalation in India’s counter-terror strategy.

(With agency inputs)