Trichy: Dheeraj Wadera from Jammu couldn’t believe his luck, even after being told that he had won the bid for two spiritually-significant garments worn by the main deities at Sri Renganathar temple in Srirangam, one of the 108 Divya Deshams (Vishnu temples).

“I was surprised to see the auction of garments gifted by devotees. Since I consider myself a spiritual person, I attended the auction and became the successful bidder for a dhoti and a saree that were adorned on the deities. I will keep them at the pooja room in my house back in Jammu and keep worshipping them,” Dheeraj, a businessman, told TOI on Saturday . He won the bid for the saree in his first attempt but remained unconvinced. So, he went for the dhoti and got that too. The two items became his property at a cost of Rs 1,100. Devotees who made successful bids at the auction of garments offered to the main deities, Lord Renganathar and Goddess Renganayaki Thayar, shared similar feelings.

The temple administration conducts the auction on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays depending upon the stock. An official said that an auction is arranged at Renga Vilas Mandapam soon after the number of offerings of garments such as dhoti and saree touch a certain limit. Around 200 pieces of garments are auctioned such days. The initial bid for the garments will be one third of their original price. Usually , bidders would start by increasing the price by 10. Spirited auctions in the past had witnessed price of silk sarees touching Rs 7,000.