In US Nagar district, idols of deities covered with warm clothes
RUDRAPUR: With severe cold sweeping the state and crippling life, priests in temples of Rudrapur town of US Nagar district have covered even the idols of deities with warm clothes so as to protect them from severe cold.
The step has been taken by town’s famous Laxmi Narayan temple also popularly known as Paanch Mandir where the idols have been covered with shawls and mufflers. Harish Nautiyal, one of the priests in the temple, said they covered the deities with warm clothes as they believe they also feel the weather conditions because they are among them only.
“This practice is not new for us. The temple committee covers the idols with shawls and mufflers during winters for the last few winters,” said Nautiyal.
Speaking more on the decision he said, when idols are consecrated at the time of installation in any temple, it is said that the souls also enter and reside in them.
“It is because of that they are bathed, offered prasad and given time to rest regularly. When severe cold begins in winter, these idols are covered with warm clothes to protect them from cold,” he said.
In Paanch Mandir idols of Maharshi Valmiki, Tulsi Das, Lord Hanuman, Guru Nanak Dev and other deity and great personalities all are covered with shawls.
Considering the cold, some of the devotees also offer woolens to the gods in the temple.
“Some devotees offer shawls, mufflers and some self-knitted warm clothes to the temple because of their faith. When winter passes, warm clothes are removed. It is true that nothing is bigger than devotion to the almighty in this world,” said Neeta Gosain, a regular devotee in the temple.
› This practice is not new for us. The temple committee covers the idols with shawls and mufflers during winter for the last few years. HARISH NAUTIYAL, Priest