Overview
- The long-standing halt on marriages, in place for about six to seven years, came to wider attention after a groom complained to the Karnataka Chief Minister’s Office.
- Temple management says divorce disputes have led courts to call priests as witnesses for verification, with reports noting a rise in elopements and forged documents.
- Before the suspension, the heritage shrine typically hosted about 100 to 150 weddings each year, according to temple officials.
- The temple continues all other religious rituals and remains under Karnataka’s Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department.
- Leaders say the no-wedding policy could be reviewed in the future, as online reactions range from support to questions about why priests are drawn into divorce cases.