In a mysterious turn of events, a white ‘Shivling’, a representation of Lord Shiva in Hindu culture, is struggling to find a permanent shelter in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas. While priests, locals and devotees from the surrounding area come to worship it, no one wants to take it home.
According to local sources, this ‘Shivling’ was found by two local children while bathing in the Kankana pond of Gobardanga in the month of Chaitra. However, this Shiva idol cannot be kept in anyone’s house or temple in the area, so the local people have now decided to build a temple at that place to give permanent shelter to the white Shiva.
Reportedly, a local priest initially took away the idol but brought it back within two days. He said that he could not worship this Shiva idol, although he did not give any specific reason.
Later, this white ‘Shivling’ was kept in a Shitala temple in the area, but was later brought back to its original place. The local people have now decided to build a ‘Shivling’ temple near the pond where it was found.
Local people believe that Mahadev was installed under a banyan tree near the pond. “Even though seven people took it home, it was not possible to keep Lord Shiva. Shiva does not reside anywhere except this kund. All the people of the area have decided that white Shiva will be established here. Now money collection is on in full swing,” said Narayan Sadhu, a resident
Devotees throng the area and surrounding areas to have a glimpse of the mystical ‘Shivling’ and make donations to the temple. A local Asim Sarkar said, ‘A temple will be built for Mahadev (Shiva) here. The temple will be inaugurated on the day of Neel Puja. People come from far and wide to have darshan of this Shiva. Overall, the mood of the festival is centered on this Shiva in the Gobardanga region.