Indian temples where liquor is offered as prasad

India is a country with diverse religious beliefs. According to a recent census report, there are about 74.82 per cent of Hindus living in India. Of this percentage, 60-65 per cent people Indians worship the god daily and go to the temple. Most of the deities are offered some kind of prasad which is said to please them. Some of these are unique and are backed by local folklore and legend. Today, we’ll be talking about some of the temples where liquor is offered to the gods. Take a look…

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Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is a 6000 years old temple where Lord Kal Bhairav is worshipped. Apparently, people coming to this temple offer liquor to the deity as prasad. The deity accepts tantric offerings called Panchamakra which included Madira (liquor), Maans (flesh), Meen (fish), Mudra (grain) and Maithun (sexual intercourse). The place is also famous as it is said that the Kal Bhairav’s idol absorbs all the alcohol offered. The liquor offered to the lord is then distributed among the devotees as prasad. (Images courtesy: Instagram/@moksh_e_kashi)

Goddess Kali is the most fearsome manifestation of Goddess Durga and it is one of the reasons many people worship her to get rid of any problems. Many priests agree that the offering given to Goddess Kali differs from place to place. Here in Delhi, many people visit the popular Kali Mata temple situated in Connaught Place near Bangal Sahib Gurudwara. From whiskey to wine and ‘desi sharab’, the ardent devotees of Maa Kali come here to offer it. However, the alcohol is not distributed among the devotees.

It’s a popular Shaktipeeth based in West Bengal, where ‘Karan Sudha’ or alcohol is necessary while offering the prasad to the Goddess along with meat and fish. It is because alcohol is an important part of Tantra Sadhna.

Built by the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala in 1936, there is a six-foot-tall statue of Goddess Kali, who is worshipped by many. This temple is so popular among the Kali devotees that people across Northern India visit this temple to pray to the Goddess and ask for a wish. When a person’s wish is fulfilled, they offer liquor to Maa Kali as prasad along with goat, hens and coconut.

This temple is dedicated to Khabees Baba, who was a spiritual healer or a saint and known for his ability to treat injured people with his mere touch. He loved to drink whisky, and thus most of his devotees offer alcohol to his memorial temple. Here also, the alcohol offered to Baba is distributed among the devotees.

This temple is quite popular for its unique liquor serving offered to the Goddess. This popular temple was built in the year 1380 by the bandits, where two forms of Goddess Durga - Maa Kali and Brahmani are worshipped together. While Maa Kali is worshipped as Maa Bhunwal or Bhanwal and she is offered alcohol, Maa Brahmani is given sweets. She is offered 2 and 1/2 cups of wine from a silver goblet and she only consumes those 2 and a half cups of wine from a person whose wish she wants to fulfil. (Image courtesy: Instagram/@pradeep_shekhawat_kariri)