Students perform 'Paada Puja' by washing feet of former teachers; controversy

KASARAGOD: Complaint has been received that students were made to wash the feet of former teachers at Kakkachal Saraswathi Vidyalaya under Bharatheeya Vidyanikethan. The allegation is that the students were made to wash the feet of about 30 teachers who had retired from the school and made to offer them flowers. The school authorities explained that the ceremony was organized to honor teachers as part of Guru Purnima on Thursday.

The teachers were seated in rows on chairs and the students were made to kneel on the ground facing their feet. After that, the students greeted the teachers by touching their feet, offering flowers on their feet and sprinkling water on them to perform 'paada snanam'. This ritual was carried out by the organisers. School authorities say that the agenda is to continue the ritual in the coming years.