Planning to take a holy dip to purge sins? Why not get certified too?
A Hindu devotee prays after a holy dip at the Sangam, the confluence of three holy rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- during the Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad: Courtesy: www.wbur.org
Have you ever thought of purging all the sins that you have committed till date? If yes, a holy place in Rajasthan will apparently help you rid the evil shadows of all those deep, dark sins through a certificate!
Yes! This temple certifies you as a sin-free person!
The priests at the ancient Shiva temple in Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan issue this bizarre certificate once the devotees have finished the prescribed rites.
The centuries-old practice at the Gautameshwar Mahadev Paapmochan Teertha in Arnod town (18 kilometres away from Pratapgarh) requires ‘sinners’ to take a holy dip in the temple’s kund (small tank or reservoir), pay Rs 10 for dosh-nivaran (removing obstacles) and another Rs 1 for the certificate.
The Hindu god Shiva’s shrine also known as the ‘Haridwar of tribals’ has reportedly maintained a record of all those who have been ‘certified’ since India’s independence.
“People ostracised in their villages come here to take a dip and go back with ‘paap-mukti’ certificates,” the temple priest Nandkishore Sharma told The Times of India.
The bizarre custom is extremely popular among tribal people in the area, and the devotees include farmers who inadvertently kill birds, insects and animals.
According to legend, it all began when the sage Gautam Rishi was freed from a curse after he took a dip in the temple’s kund (pond).
The temple sees the largest flow of devotees during the eight-day-long Gautameshwar fair in May.
However, despite an increase in the number of visitors, the total number of certifications have reportedly gone down. During the fair earlier this month, only three people asked for certificates even though more than two lakh people took the holy dip.
