20-quintal butter idol draws pilgrims in droves
Ashok Raina
Kangra, January 15
Thousands of pilgrims have started thronging the temple town since last evening to pay obeisance at the Bajjreshwari temple here and have glimpse of the 20- quintal of butter idol on the Pindi of the Goddess on the eve of the Makar Sankranti festival.
The pilgrims arrived here despite shivering cold. The town witnessed the minimum temperature of 2.2 degree C last night.
Apoorav Sharma, temple officer, said the butter idol was made by 11 priests who took more than 9 hours to make the idol which was decorated with dry fruits. The process of making the idol began at 7 pm and was completed at 4 am.
Apoorav said ghee donated by devotees was converted into 20 quintals of butter by 11 priests by washing it with water 108 times. He said the process of making butter started on January 5 and completed this morning.
Ram Prasad Sharma, priest, said a legend has it that when the Goddess was injured during fight with demons, butter was applied on her wounds on Makar Sankranti by gods.
The butter would remain on the Pindi for one week. It would be removed on January 20 morning.
The temple management had planned to make 30 quintal idol this year but the quality of the ghee received was poor so the idol was made of 20 quintals only.
The butter will be distributed as prasad among devotees, which treats the chronic skin ailments and joint pains.
The temple was decorated with lights and flowers. Besides, there was recitation of the Vedic hymns, bhajans. and continuous puja was carried out in the temple. SDM Jatin Lal visited the temple.
