Accident zone now safe, thanks to temple

Accident zone now safe, thanks to temple
Motorists slow down in reverence to Hanuman, and fatal mishaps come down
DEEPTHI M R


After fate gave him a new lease of life, he has turned saviour for hundreds of motorists traversing the Bangalore-Mysore Road.
A spot located at a sharp bend on the highway near Bidadi used to be an accident zone before. Thanks to Devraj Kothari, a city-based chartered accountant who has built a Hanuman temple on this land, this spot is free of accidents.
EASY ON GAS
Motorists used to zip on this stretch, resulting in fatal accidents. After the temple came up at the spot, they went easy on the accelerator so they could pray to the God. Result: no accidents. Kothari said he had donated this land to a temple trust in 1999. "I had taken an oath to construct a temple and I had to fulfill it. I had bought a piece of land on Bangalore-Mysore Road, which was meant to be a resort. I donated it to the temple," he said.
Recalling how the idea of building a temple at the spot occurred to him, Kothari said it all began during his visit to the Himalayas along with his friends. "I, along with 40 of my friends, went to Amarnath, where the weather was bad. Strong winds blew and it was snowing. While my friends decided to return, I was determined to see Lord Shiva and I continued," he said.
While returning, Kothari fell into a ditch was covered by a thick blanket of snow. "I was freezing and was feeling breathless. I was scared but all I could do was pray. After several hours, a few policemen who heard my cries pulled me out. On that day, I swore I would build a temple upon my return to Bangalore," he said.
Today, he feels God has given him a new life. In return, he wants to save lives. His temple is a place where motorists halt and pay their respects to Lord Hanuman. “Now that there is a temple at the spot, everyone is careful while taking a turn. This way, accidents are avoided.”