Mangaluru: Muslim man built temple and performs rites as its priest

Mangaluru: P Qasim, originally from the Palakkad district of Kerala, built a temple dedicated to the local deity Koragajja at Kavatharu in Mulki taluk.

Qasim had migrated to Kavatharu about 35 years ago. Once he had suffered from an injury on his leg and he and his family were going through a bad phase when the village Patri (priest) advised him to build a Koragajja temple.

He, accordingly, built the temple near his house and has been performing daily rites in the temple himself.

Every day about 50 devotees from all religion visit the temple. Qasim after performing the rites distributes the prasadam – holy water and sandal paste – to the devotees.

He says he has been taking care of the temple and performing poojas for almost 19 years now.

He also said that he became a vegetarian since the day he started performing rituals in the temple.

Along with Korajja, the temple also houses the idols of deities Koragathi and Durgaparameshwari.