New Delhi: Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district was purified on Sunday after a young woman breached the age-old tradition of not worshiping the idol.
Authorities said that an abhishek was performed for the 'purification' of the idol dedicated to Lord Shani.
While one trustee resigned taking moral responsibility, the authorities have suspended seven security personnel of the temple for negligence.
The incident took place on Saturday when a woman entered the temple premises and climbed the 'chauthara' (platform) where the idol was installed and offered prayers. By doing this, she broke the age-old practice of prohibiting women from offering prayers to the Lord Shani here.
The idol of 'Shani Devsthan', a black rock over five feet tall, installed on a platform without a roof, sits at the heart of the Shani Shingnapur village in Ahmednagar district.
It is this temple that strengthens the local tradition of not installing doors and locks to the village houses. Once a humble affair, the temple has now grown into a large trust with extensive property and donations that run into lakhs. But it still does not have a door, much like most homes of the 4,000-odd residents of the village, where empty door frames mark the entrance to houses.
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