If UP can have its dead British army graves where cigarettes and liquor are offered, ‘dry’ Gujarat can do one better. At the Bhairavnath temple, every Sunday is a slightly intoxicating day for the liquor-thirsty god. But there are rules. The deity, who emerged out of the third eye of Shiva, accepts the bottles only after the Sunday puja. And no local liquor, please. It must be ‘English daru’, of the best quality, in a sealed bottle. Quantity is not an issue, though.
As evening settles, offerings of coconuts are collected and presented grandly near the idol, while a junior priest discreetly collects the liquor bottles. The head priest pours out a peg or two for the deity and keeps the bottle aside. Half a coconut is returned to the devotee with blessings from Bhairavnath, and maybe a spoonful of liquor, if you insist.
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What you wish for is a flexible matter, for Bhairavnath reportedly solves romantic problems, issues of fertility, and even answers prayers for longevity and brilliant careers. Of course, the present of good liquor to the god also comes with a caveat—a vow to come back with another bottle if the wish comes true. According to the tradition here, the “god of darkness and terror can be offered a diet that is otherwise not deemed fit, such as alcohol and meat”. Meat offerings have in time become less popular among veggie Gujaratis. The smell of booze, though, hangs perpetually in the air.
