1,500 kg butter idol in Himachal temple big draw

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A clarified butter idol at a temple in Himachal's Kangra district has turned out to be a major draw for thousands of devotees on the occasion of Makar Sankranti festival.

Braving rain, large numbers of devotees Wednesday thronged the famous Brajeshwari Devi temple here to pay obeisance and have a glimpse of the idol made of 15 quintals of clarified butter, a temple official said.

Prepared by 14 priests, the idol will remain on the pedestal of the goddess till Jan 20, the official Pawan Badyal told IANS.

Installed on Makar Sankranti, the idol is prepared by using 'ghee', donated by the devotees. The priests purified the idol with holy water 108 times.

Makar Sankrati is celebrated as a week-long festival at the temple.

According to legend, when the goddess was injured during a fight with the demons, her wounds were treated with butter by gods on Makar Sankranti.

The clarified butter, when removed from the pedestal Jan 20, will be distributed among the devotees. It is believed that it cures chronic skin ailments and pain in the joints.

One of the busiest shrines in north India, the Brajeshwari Devi temple witnesses majority of devotees coming from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.