Think about a place, where prisoners (kaidi) are advised/guided for worshipping of lord shiva.
Yes its Babadham and the Deoghar Karavas.
As there used to be a “Shringar Puja” at every evening in Baba Mandir. For this pooja, garlands/FOOLON KI MALAYEN used to pluged & prepared by Prisoners in Deoghar Jails within the campus.
Later few of constables, pick up them and enchanting Shiva (Har Har Mahadev) throughout the way from Karavas to Mandir, and later with the same puja will be done. This is not just one day work, or a work on special occasion, in fact a tradition which has been carrying since uncountable years.
Last week “The Telegraph” has mentioned it:
“Perhaps Babadham — as the temple town is popularly known — is the only place in the country where inmates languishing in jails prepare flower ornaments for the deity. The inmates prepare flower crown that is used during night Shringar, a special decoration of the Dwadash Jyotirlinga of Baidhyanath every late evening.“
There is an interesting story associated with this ritual, though. A British jailer started this tradition, said elderly residents of the temple town, after inmates suggested him to pray to the deity of Baidayanath for speedy recuperation of his ailing son.
The jailer, Christian by faith, did not turn down the advice. He reportedly prayed to the deity of Baidhyanath to save his son’s life.
The boy recovered within few days and an elated jailer started offering flower bouquets to the temple daily.
“It is a very old story but I doubt if there is any historical evidence or any references about the incident or the name of the British officer,” Falguni Marik Kushbaha, a local resident, said.
prisoners making garlands
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