Nature of worship: Uttar Pradesh temple gives saplings as ‘prasad’

PRAYAGRAJ: Intending to associate religious sentiments for increasing the ‘green cover’, the temple management of Mankameshwar temple, one of the eminent Shiva temples of the city located on the banks of river Yamuna, has decided to present a sapling to each devotee as ‘prasad’. This special prasad (saplings) is given to each devotee who performs Rudraabhishek in this ancient temple.
The Mankameshwar temple dates back to several centuries and it is believed that Lord Ram himself had established the Shivlinga in the temple back in Treta Yuga. This belief associated with the temple is well known not only in the district or the country but also abroad.
During the coming month of Shravan, a large number of devotees perform Rudraabhishek in the temple. During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (2020), the priests of the temple had performed the Abhishekam virtually and live streaming was arranged for several devotees, especially those from foreign countries. However, this year, devotees are happy that presently the temples are open and hence they can perform Abhishekam at the temple.
Adding to the ecstasy of the devotees is the initiative of the temple management to present a sapling, associated with Lord Shiva and the one which is known for enhancing the level of oxygen in the atmosphere.
Moreover, when the saplings come as prasad, the devotees are taking good care of the planted sapling and the priest is making the devotees pledge for protecting the tree at the time of Purnaahuti (last offering).
The practice has begun on a trial run, owing to the rainy season, and the temple authorities have planned to take this up on a larger scale during the coming month of Shravan.
Brahmachari Sridharanand of the temple says, “By planting saplings, the present and future of a person becomes prosperous and at the same time, the ancestors also get satisfaction. However, the present generation is ignorant of this knowledge. For this reason, pandemic like Covid-19 has occurred and costing lives.
Everyone talks about environmental protection, but no one wants to plant saplings”. For this reason, people performing rituals in the temple are given a plant free of cost as a blessing to Bholenath. This automatically awakens the person’s sense of faith in that plant. He will plant the sapling and take care of it with full devotion, he added.
The oxygen enhancing trees, saplings of which are being given to devotees includes Peepal, Banyan, Pakad, Neem, Sycamore, Jamun etc. Apart from this, plants of Navagraha, Tulsi, Bel, Shami, Mango etc. are also given.