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Nine lemons were reportedly sold from a temple in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district at Rs 2.36 lakh through an auction on Tuesday. As per devotees, consuming these citrus fruits spiked on the sacred spear of the temple deity can cure infertility.
According to a report by The Times of India, the management of the temple for lord Muruga auctions the lemons during the annual Panguni Uthiram festival. It’s mainly the childless couples who visit the temple during this festival to buy lemons at the auction.
The lemon spiked on the spear on the first day of the nine-day festival is believed by devotees to be the most potent of all and that lemon was bought by a couple for Rs 50,500 this year.
In the nine-day festival, one lemon is tied to a deity’s spear by a priest every day, the report claimed.
The report also quotes villagers and mentions that those looking to have a baby, and even businessmen and traders, competed for those lemons which are believed to bring good fortune by villagers.
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People who buy lemons have to take the holy bath before kneeling down before the priest accepts the offering.
A lemon was fetched for Rs 7,600 at an auction that was held as part of a temple fest in Tamil Nadu's Erode district. This was put up for an auction in Mahashivarathri festival at Pazhathinni Karuppannan temple.
Lemons hold a revered status in spirituality in various cultures, often symbolising purity, cleansing and warding off negative energies in different cultures.
In several parts of the country, lemon and green chillies are hung on doorsteps and within the vehicles supposedly to ward off evil spirits.
Lemons are often used in rituals associated with black magic.
A peon working with the civic body in Maharashtra was booked under the Anti Superstition and Black Magic Arc for keeping lemon under the car of the assistant municipal commissioner.
