Lucknow: The worship of Shiva at Mankameshwar Temple on the first Monday of the month of Shrawan (saavan) wasn’t restricted to just that; it gave out a number of social messages as well.

 

Shrimahant Devyagiri said volunteers associated with the temple known as rudrasevaks brought pots of water from Gomti to clean the temple before the puja. The same water was used to perform rudrabhishek (special puja of Shiva) thereafter.

Talking to TOI, Devyagiri said, “References that Gomti is Adiganga (primitive form of Ganga) are available in religious literature. Thus, the waters of the river are as pure as the Ganga itself. Secondly, water bodies serve as the seat of human civilization and therefore, it is important to save them. But no conservation effort is possible without public participation. That’s why we are holding rudrabhishek with Gomti water.”

Talking about the effort on ‘Save the Girl child’, Devyagiri said, “More than 10 lakh devotees visit the temple during Shrawan which makes it a good time to spread social messages. The cause of the girl child is a serious matter and needs attention.”

Meanwhile, devotees thronged Mankameshwar and other Shiva temples in the city to seek the deity’s blessings. It is believed that this is the best time to invoke Shiva’s benevolence. Devotees offer water and milk to the deity.Pandey added, “The poison threatened to end life on earth, to avert which Shiva consumed it instead. Thereafter, Shiva felt restless and thirsty, making his devotees run with water and milk for him. It is believed that those who offer water and milk to the deity relieve him of his pain and thirst and earn his blessings.”