Superstition proves good for village

MYSORE:  At times, superstitions can be good too. The belief that holy bull can trace sinners has worked wonders at a village in the district. Miscreants who went on setting haystacks afire at night at Hunuganahalli for a month have now stopped indulging in the sadistic act.For, the villagers invoked intervention of ‘holy’ bull to trace the culprits. Its invocation partially achieved what the police could not - prevention of the nocturnal mischief. It is a different matter that the bull, however, could not trace the sinners, a failure again attributed to superstition.The miscreants had literally given sleepless nights to the villagers. They would set fire to haystacks at paddy files at night.The villagers filed complaints at Mysore South and Bannur police stations. Help came quickly. Police stepped up patrolling and kept vigil on suspicious movements of people. Yet the misdeeds continued, making the police throw their hands in helplessness.After 27 incidents of fire within the span of a month, the farmers decided to get the holy bull from Srikalabyraveshwara temple of Chikka Arasanakere village in Maddur taluk to trace the culprits. With their faith and confidence in the holy bull firm, optimism soared. Villagers accorded a grand welcome to the bull, which they expected to do a crime investigation of sorts.They believed that the bull will trace the wrong-doers by standing in front of their houses. But, much to their disappointment, the bull straightaway walked out of the village, worrying the farmers again.Narayana, a villager, maintained that ‘witchcraft’ performed at the village prevented the bull from tracing the criminals!But, interestingly, no fresh cases of setting haystack on fire were reported since the bull-walk took place.The villagers again brought the bull in a procession and offered puja hoping that Basaveshwara (bull god)  will punish evil forces.