Gone are the days when modaks and kosambris used to be offered as ‘naivedya’ to Lord Ganesha on Chaturthi! Nowadays, liquor and non-vegetarian food are being offered as ‘naivedya’ to Lord Ganesha in Bhagyanagar village of Karnataka’s Koppal district.
A sub-sect of the Kshatriya community offers whiskey and chicken to the deity as part of the ‘naivedya’ on the third day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
The tradition is followed by around 100 families of the Kshatriya community in the in Bhagyanagar village. Residents in this village offer whiskey and chicken to the deity because they believe that Ganesha will bless them with wealth and joy.
They believe that Ganesha is not satisfied with just vegetarian dishes and hence needs to be offered non-vegetarian food, in addition to the milk and tender coconut water that is generally offered. During the festival, a bottle of liquor is placed in front of the idol and sometimes sprinkled on it as part of the ‘naivedya’.
PNN/Agencies