WATCH: Devotees Offer Live Crabs at Shiva Temple in Gujarat, Here's Why
Last Updated: January 19, 2023, 15:18 IST
The video gives a glimpse of people placing live crabs on the altar of Lord Shiva. (Credits: Twitter/ ANI)
In the clip, a woman is also seen taking out a crab from her bag and offering it to the deity. Towards the end of the video, one can notice a large crowd walking towards the altar to give their offerings.
While flowers, fruits, sweets and milk are frequently offered to the deities, devotees have discovered a peculiar way to worship Lord Shiva. A video of worshippers offering crabs at a temple devoted to Lord Shiva in Surat, Gujarat has gone viral on social media. On Thursday, ANI tweeted a video of the same along with the caption, “Devotees offer crabs to Lord Shiva at Ramnath Shiv Ghela temple in Gujarat’s Surat.”
The video gives a glimpse of people placing live crabs on the altar of Lord Shiva. In the clip, a woman is also seen taking out a crab from her bag and offering it to the deity. Towards the end of the video, one can notice a large crowd walking towards the altar to give their offerings.
Watch the video below:
In a subsequent tweet, the news agency revealed, “The crabs that are offered by devotees to Lord Shiva at Ramnath Shiv Ghela temple in Surat, are later released into Tapi river after the ritual.”
Surat, Gujarat | The crabs that are offered by devotees to Lord Shiva at Ramnath Shiv Ghela temple in Surat, are later released into Tapi river after the ritual.— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2023
The video has amassed over 134 thousand views ever since it was shared online. Social media users were left divided with some having no idea about what was going on, while some shared positive notes. One of the users wrote, “The crabs are later collected by the temple authority and then released in the sea nearby. So yes, no harm is done to these tiny creatures.”
The crabs are later collected by the temple authority and then released in the sea nearby. So yes, no harm is done to these tiny creatures!https://t.co/zrYWCTLcia— Anant (@amipara_anant) January 19, 2023
One more concerned user wrote, “What’s all these? Never heard of these. Hope they will let them free back to their habitats.”
Whats all these? Never heard of these. Hope they will let them free back to their habitats— Shruti (@Shruti92774455) January 19, 2023
A devotee at the temple was quoted as saying, “There is a belief that if you offer crabs here then your ear-related problems will be cured.”
Talking to ANI, Manojgiri Goswami, the temple priest, attributed the custom of offering crabs to the epic Ramayana, saying, “Lord Ram had created this temple and sanctified it saying whoever offers crabs in this temple on the day of Ekadashi will get their wishes realised”. Devotees have also long held the belief that doing so will grant all of their wishes and assure their well-being.
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