Thousands of pilgrims from all over the country have started thronging this temple town since this morning to pay obeisance at the Bajreshwari Temple, one of the 52 Shakti Peeths, and to have glimpse of preparation of 16.5 quintal of butter idol on the Pindi of the Goddess.
The pilgrims arrived here braving shivering coldwave conditions with overcast sky in the Kangra Valley. The town witnessed minimum temperature of 0.8 degree Celsius last night. Temple officer Pawan Bhadiyal said the butter idol, weighing 16.5 quintals, was made by 11 priests in nearly more than six hours and was tastefully decorated with dry fruits. He said ghee donated by devotees from all over the country was converted into 16.5 quintals of butter by the 11 priests with a specific technique by washing it with water 108 times. The process of making butter was started on January 5 and completed this morning.
Mr Bhadiyal added that according to a legend when the Goddess was injured during fight with demons, her wounds were pasted with butter on Makar Sankranti by Gods. The butter will remain on the Pindi for one week and would be removed on January 20 morning. He said Temple authorities received ghee from devotees from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Agra, Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, MP, UP and Gujarat. The ghee was contributed by the local people of Himachal Pradesh too.
He said the butter when removed would be distributed as Prasada among the devotees, which treats the chronic skin ailments and joint pains. The temple was tastefully decorated with lights and flowers and the recitation of the Vedic hymns, Bhajans, and continuous Pooja was carried out in the temple. A Jagrata organised by local residents in the temple, was part of the Makar Sankranti festival.
