In a heated exchange on social media, Mysore royal and member of Parliament, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, schooled Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who attempted to secularise Chamundeshwari Devi and the Dasara festival by claiming that the goddess and the festival did not belong to any one religion.
On Tuesday (26th August), Congress leader Shivakumar claimed that goddess Chamundeshwari and her temple are not the properties of Hindus alone, and that they belong to all religions. His remarks came in response objections raised against the Karnataka government’s decision for invite International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the world-famous Mysuru Dasara-2025 festivities atop Chamundi Hills on September 22. Defending the state government’s decision, DK Shivakumar said that the goddess and her temple did not belong to Hindus only.
He later wrote a message on X claiming that the goddess Chamundeshwari Devi, whose temple is located atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysuru, Karnataka, is the presiding deity of the ‘region’ and belongs to all religions. He further claimed that the Hindu festival of Dasara (or Dussehra) did not belong to any one religion and is the festival of the ‘region’ as well.
The Deputy CM accused the BJP of creating controversy and doing politics in the name of religion and reasoned that since people of all religions have access to the temple of the goddess, it meant that the goddess did not belong to any single religion. “Everyone from all religions and communities has access to Chamundi Hill. Everyone goes to the hill. They pray to the Goddess. Our Durga Devi removes everyone’s sorrows. People come from the country and abroad to witness the regional festival Dasara. Our royal family members themselves have given permission and are witnesses to this. The regional festival Dasara belongs to people of all religions. One should not do politics in the name of religion; even Mother would not approve of it!” Shivakumar wrote on X on Wednesday (27th August).
On the sacred day of Gowri Habba, DCM D.K. Shivakumar claimed that “Chamundi Betta and Chamundi Devaru are not Hindu property.” This remark is utterly condemnable.
Chamundi Betta is a Shakti Peetha – sanctified by the Shastras and revered by crores of Hindus. The temple was, is,… pic.twitter.com/08n2LHIWvL
— Yaduveer Wadiyar (@yaduveerwadiyar) August 26, 2025
Shivakumar’s attempts to dissociate Chamundeshwari Devi and the Dasara festival from the Hindu religion were countered by the Mysuru dynasty scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who reminded Shivakumar that the Chamundi Hill is a Shakti Peeth, a sacred, revered religious site of Hindus.
Condemning Shivakumar’s statement, Yaduveer Wadiyar said that the temple has always been a Hindu property and would remain so.
ಚಾಮುಂಡಿ ಬೆಟ್ಟ ಎಲ್ಲ ಧರ್ಮ–ಸಮುದಾಯದವರಿಗೂ ಮುಕ್ತವಾಗಿ ತೆರೆದಿದೆ. ತಾಯಿಯನ್ನು ಆರಾಧಿಸುವವರು, ನಂಬುವವರು, ಗೌರವಿಸುವವರು ಎಲ್ಲ ಜಾತಿ-ಧರ್ಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಆದರೆ, ಚಾಮುಂಡಿ ಬೆಟ್ಟ ಒಂದು ಶಕ್ತಿಪೀಠ. ತಾಯಿ ಚಾಮುಂಡೇಶ್ವರಿ ಹಿಂದೂ ದೇವಿ – ಆಕೆಯ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖ ಹಿಂದೂ ಗ್ರಂಥವಾದ ಮಾರ್ಕಂಡೇಯ ಪುರಾಣದ ದೇವಿ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿದೆ; ಬೇರೆ ಧರ್ಮಗಳ… https://t.co/303zPivqnJ
— Yaduveer Wadiyar (@yaduveerwadiyar) August 27, 2025
Acknowledging that the Hill is open to people of all religions and communities who believe in her, Yaduveer Wadiyar asserted that Chamundeshwari Devi is a Hindu goddess, mentioned in the Hindu scripture Markandeya Purana’s Devi Mahatmya. He pointed out that the goddess is not mentioned in the scriptures of any other religion. Wadiyar highlighted that the daily worship and traditions at the Chamundeshwari temple are conducted in accordance with Hindu scriptures, and all those who visit the temple worship her as a Hindu goddess.
Taking a dig at Shivakumar and his party, Wadiyar said that Shivakumar has made one family (the Gandhi family) his God. “You have made a family your god. In this case, dare not deny the Hindu nature of the Goddess and the religious tradition of Dussehra. We are not doing politics. When you attack our religion for the politics of appeasement, we stand up to defend it,” Wadiyar said.