'Sacred' lemon fetches record Rs 23,000 in auction

A lemon fetching Rs 23,000 in an auction may seem unusual but not for devotees of a village temple in this district who believe the fruit offered to the presiding deity can bring them prosperity.
The fruit offered during the 11-day annual festival of Idumban temple is in great demand due to its uniqueness of remaining fresh even several days after being spiked on the tip of a spear and the belief that it can ward of all evils and bring prosperity.
According to temple officials, one lemon would be spiked each day on the tip of the spear during the 'Uthiram festival' at the temple in Oddanendal village and devotees vie with each other to bid for it in the auction.

This year the lemon spiked on the first day of the festival fetched a record Rs 23,000 while the remaining ten lemons were taken for an aggregate of Rs 61,200 in the auction held today, they said.
It is inexplicable how the lemons did not get dry for several days despite the very hot summer.
Worshippers of the temple believed that the lemon could get rid off them of all the evils tormenting them in different forms.