But as the five rath yatras converged on Chickmagalur, where they were joined by a few local activists, the organisers realised that the response to the campaign was less than lukewarm. For the much hyped-up Shobha Yatra at the town's Azad Square this evening, only 3,000 people turned up.

Bajarang Dal's state convenor Pramod Muthalik said 15,000 volunteers will arrive for the Datta Jayanthi on Thursday. (This is a scaled-down version of his earlier figure of 25,000.)

The yatri's today proceeded to the shrine and areexpected to reach there late at night. The three-day Datta Jayanti celebrations at the Guru Dattatreya Baba Budangiri Swamy Darga began on Tuesday and ends tomorrow.

Bajrang Dal national security chief Prakash Sharma told The Indian Express that the authorities had agreed to allow the pooja and distribution of prasad.

However, Syed Pir Mohammed Shah Kadri, the 14th descendant of Baba Budan told The Indian Express that the performance of `Dattatreya Homa' by Bajrang Dal and VHP, would be illegal.

Kadri, who is the Dargah's priest, said the `liberation' plans of the two organisations would amount to contempt of court. (The Karnataka High Court had issued an order on March 6, 1980, to maintain status quo at the shrine.) He said the shrine symbolised secularism, and vowed that the old tradition of a common worship should be continued.

``We are telling the administration not to allow the pooja,'' he said. A direct descendant of Hazrat Dada Hayat Mir Qalandar, who is saidto have done penance at the shrine, Shah Kadri said the Dargah did not go to the Wakf Board since it was a secular institution and not a Muslim one.

Hayat Mir Qalandar was worshipped as Baba Budan by Muslims and as Dattatreya by the Hindus. People of Chickmagalur and surrounding areas visited the shrine and co-existed in peace, he said.

As the Bajrang Dal did not receive support from locals, it was bringing `outsiders' through rath yatras, he said.

Today's procession that started at the Raghavendra Mutt, assembled at Azad Park Square. The yatris burst crackers along the route and shouted slogans. The local presence was just nominal as the residents preferred to be onlookers.

Speaking at the `Dharmic Sabha' at Azad Square, the organisers held that the yatra was not meant to incite violence. ``We want to hold our head high after 50 years of living like cowards,'' they said. The yatra was meant to educate people about the injustice done to Hindus, they said.

Prakash Sharma,Jaya Basavananda Swami of Basava Peetha, VHP Secretary Babu Rao Desai, Pramod Muthalik, RSS leaders and heads of the five rath yatras addressed the volunteers.

Special Striking Force men, armed with carbines, marched on either side of the procession. Policemen from the KSRP, BSF, RAF, Special Striking Force and the civil police of various districts have been camping here for the last three days.

Chickmagalur remains peaceful. None of the shops or business establishments closed their doors, even while the procession passed.

The shrine, 29 km from the town, is heavily guarded and there is a policeman at every yard. Barricades have been set up and devotees have to pass through metal detectors. Policemen frisk every person who enters and vehicles approaching the hill are also being searched. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in and around a 10 km radius of Baba Budangiri.

ENS adds from Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister J H Patel told media persons thatstern action would be taken against anyone who sought to cause trouble at the place of worship. After a high-level meeting with top police officials and the Chief Secretary here on Wednesday, Patel said every precaution had been taken to maintain peace in the area.

Karnataka High Court Chief Justice R P Sethi and Justice Mohammad Anwar have directed the state government and the law-enforcing authorities to take steps to preserve the sanctity of the Datta Peetha shrine by ensuring peace in the area of Baba Budangiri hills.

The direction from the court comes after the state government through its Home Secretary Phillipose Mathai filed an affidavit giving details of security measures taken at the holy shrine during the three-day Datta Jayanthi celebrations. A writ petition was filed before the court by Mohammed Obaidulla Sharief and another seeking directions from the court to order the police to prevent any untoward incidents.