Even though the price of onion has sky-rocketed across the country, there is a temple in Rajasthan where onions are given as offerings for gods.
Devotees offer at least 250 grams of fresh onions and gram pulses while praying at the two temples of Lord Gogaji and Guru Gorakhnath in Gogamedi village of Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan in the month of Bhadra.
This is the only temple in the country where onions are offered as offerings. This tradition has been here for generations. On this occasion, loads of onions can be seen in the Gogaoji and Guru Gorakhnath temples offered by devotees.
It is worth mentioning that a fair is also organized to celebrate the occasion lasting for 15 days. About 4-5 million people visit this temple resulting in the collection of hundreds of quintals of onion.
About 50 to 70 quintals of onions are collected at two temples in two fortnights of Bhadra month and the offerings are then sold in the market to collect money for the welfare of stray cattle as ‘Gau Seva’.
Lok Devta Gogaji, the King of Dadreva area in Tarangar area, was a disciple of Guru-Gorakhnath hundreds of years ago who had lost a war while saving cattle from the enemy. During the war, the soldiers are supposed to bring onions and gram pulse as their ration or food. Guru-Gorakhnath also took ‘samadhi’ at the same spot, and since then devotees visit the temples every year in Bhadra month offering onions and gram pulses.
PNN