Raipur: The Lingeswari temple at Alor village in Chhattisgarh’s Kondagaon district is distinct from other temples in the state as well as in the nation for a unique reason which being, the temple’s gates open once in a year! While all the temples and places of worship are thronged by devotees all year round this temple is open for darshan only once a year.
The temple is located on a small hill inside the jungles known for notorious naxal movements. People say the presence of Naxals is one of the reasons why the devotees are not allowed to go round the year.
Here Shiva and Shakti are in coordinated form that gives the name ‘Lingeswari’ to the temple.
To enter into the temple, stones are removed and devotees have to crawl into it. Here devotees offer cucumber as prasad to the deity. It is believed that if cucumber is offered with a wishful heart, the wishes are granted. It is also believed that if a married couple offers cucumber here, they are soon blessed with children, the reason why a lot of cucumber is found outside the temple.
Locals believe the temple was established about 200 years ago.
The temple is opened once a year on the occasion of Navaratri in the month of Chaitra for 12 hours only. In those 12 hours a large number of devotees from different parts of the state and outside come to offer prayers. The district administration provides all security arrangement keeping the naxalites activities in mind.
PNN