In the village of Karajanagi, there once lived
a devout
follower of Lord Shiva, a
sage named Jatadhari Siddheshwar Swami. He would practice
intense meditation and penance under the scorching sun, fasting for years , without
seeking any shelter. Siddheshwar Swami was
known for his
austere lifestyle, living as a lifelong ascetic and yogi. His appearance was
simple - he wore a saffron lungi, a rudraksha mala around his neck, and his
hair, matted into dreadlocks, extended from his head down to his waist. Every
morning, he would ask for alms (Bhiksha), but only in the form of butter, and from just
five households in the village, all before sunrise.
One year, the Patil family’s married daughter had returned to her maternal home for the Nag Panchami festival. Early that morning, the Patil, the village head,
was sitting in the town.
Patil's wife, who usually set aside the first batch of butter from the buttermilk as an offering to the deity, had gone to the farm to collect some vegetables. In her absence, Siddheshwar Swami came to the house asking for alms. The daughter, unfamiliar with the routine, told the Swami, “The buttermilk isn’t ready yet.” Swami left and returned a little later, but once again, the daughter told him, “The butter hasn’t come yet.” On his third visit, Swami saw her pretending to churn the buttermilk but without any butter.
Realizing she
was lying, he gave a curse, saying, “Let Karajanagi become Barajanagi.”
Immediately,
the girl’s hand became stuck in the churning pot, and she lost her vision. The
news spread throughout the village, and soon strange
things started happening , buffaloes that gave milk began dying. Swami, having cursed
the village, started leaving. The entire village rushed to stop him, laying
down on the road before him. But Swami said, “I will not retract the step I’ve
taken forward,” and continued on his way. Before leaving, however, Swami said,
“Let Karajanagi prosper,” and with that, he departed.
Swami
eventually settled in Acchakanhalli, near a Don, where today stands the Bisal
Siddheshwar temple. This temple is actually connected to the original deity
worshiped in Karajanagi village. After the curse, milk, curd, and butter ceased
to be sold in the village. Later, a woman named Manjula Mane tried to restart
selling milk, but one by one, her cattle died. Eventually, they uprooted the
tethering posts of their cattle. Even the Patil family's cattle perished. Once
they stopped selling milk, the village's cattle stopped dying.
Bisal Siddheshwar Mandir ,Karajanagi
Today, on the every Monday of the Shravan month, an abhishek is
offered to Siddheshwar, and on
Mahashivaratri, devotional songs and prayers are held. However, to this day,
the sale of milk, curd, and butter remains forbidden.
Many people
have tried to break this tradition, torn between faith and superstition. One
such person was Shri Sanjay Chougule, who considered this to be mere
superstition and started a dairy. It ran for six months, but after failing to
heed the divine warning, the cows began producing less milk. This shortage led
to the dairy being shut down.
Locals say that if anyone
tries to start a dairy business, the cows give less milk, or something bad
happens. For instance, a teacher named Agatarao Sopan Pawar decided to start a
dairy business, but his father opposed it vehemently. His father said, "If
you want to run a dairy business, you must not do it with our cattle. Buy your
own land, build a house, and only then you may do it."
Agatarao Pawar
abandoned the idea and kept the cattle at home, ending his plans for a dairy
business. To this day, tea made from milk powder is sold in the village.
Even today, no one from any caste in the village engages in dairy business. This tradition persists. The dilemma remains: should this be preserved as part of the culture, or should science guide the way forward?
**- Bhausaheb Mahanor **
(M.A.B.Ed.)
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