Cigarettes Are Offered To Lord Shiva At This Temple; Why You Need To Visit At Least Once

In the serene hills of Himachal Pradesh lies a temple that shatters conventional religious rituals with a tradition like no other. At the Lutru Mahadev Temple in Solan district, devotees offer lighted cigarettes and beedis directly to Lord Shiva. 

Instead of traditional offerings like milk, bilva leaves, or flowers, the Shiva Lingam here appears to smoke the lit cigarettes inserted into its crevices. This extraordinary occurrence attracts curious travellers, spiritual seekers, and researchers from across the globe to witness a unique blend of faith, mystery, and local folklore.

Himachal Pradesh Temple Where Cigarettes Are Offered To Lord Shiva

The Lutru Mahadev Temple is located on a picturesque hill in Arki of Solan district and is built in natural caves. Constructed in the year 1621 AD by the king of the former Baghal princely state, King Prithvi Singh, the temple has historical and cultural importance. The primary feature of the temple is its natural formation of the Shivlingam that consists of pipe-like hollow slots and pores.

Why Do Devotees Offer Cigarettes To Lord Shiva?

This ritual of offering cigarettes is based on the cultural belief that Lord Shiva, who is referred to as Bholenath, would accept offerings in any form when offered sincerely.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is considered a god of ascetics and someone who meditates in rough conditions and also takes cannabis or poison for the purpose of absorbing negativity from the surroundings (Neelkkanth).

Offering a lighted cigarette to this deity means offering their worldly desires, bad habits, and bad thoughts. When the lighted cigarette is offered to the deity through one of the natural holes present in the Lingam, smoke is seen emanating from it.

The Mystery And Story Behind This Unique Shiva Temple Tradition

The temple, as per local legend, has been built following the vision of Lord Shiva to the king of Prithvi Singh, who then discovered the cave and decided to build a temple here.

The custom of smoking cigarettes at the site is believed to be a much newer one, which started when a local shepherd or a sadhu put a burning cigarette in the cracks of the Lingam, due to his devotion. To everyone's amazement, the cigarette burnt out fully without getting extinguished, as air came from the natural gaps inside the cave rock formation.

This phenomenon is considered by the locals as a miraculous act of Lord Shiva accepting their offerings.

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What Is The Belief Behind Cigarette Offering In This Temple?

Those who worship at the shrine of Lutru Mahadev hold the conviction that making this particular offering will result in the fulfilment of their desires, the alleviation of their chronic ailments and mental peace. 

In accordance with the tradition followed by the pilgrims, they purchase a packet of either cigarettes or beedis from local shopkeepers, light one up in front of the deity and pray for blessings.

Conclusion

Lutru Mahadev Temple is an excellent representation of the way in which religion and geography interact within the Indian culture. Regardless of whether it is analysed as a remarkable geological phenomenon or a firm spiritual belief, smoking cigarettes to Lord Shiva constitutes one of the most unique rituals performed in the temple.

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Image credits: Freepik

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