Lucknow: Worshipping an owl, said to be the carrier of Goddess Lakshmi, during Diwali is an accepted practice but in the backwoods of Lakhimpur district, a frog temple attracts thousands of devotees on Diwali and the next two days after the festival.
According to a popular legend in the area, the frog is said to have changed the fate of a Rajput noble named Bakhat Singh. The frog apparently blessed the king and his subjects with wealth and healthy children and the temple is, therefore, dedicated to the frog.
The temple is known as 'Manduk Mandir' and the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is situated over a 'yantra' (device) placed on the back of a huge frog statue in accordance with the permutation of Tantra (occult).
Locals believe that a visit to this 200-year-old temple in Oel village, brings prosperity and Diwali is the best occasion for this. Normally, the temple remains rather deserted without devotees.
Says Pradyumn Narain Dutta Singh who represents the seventh generation of Raja Bakhat Singh whose father Raja Hardeo Singh hailed from the Neemrana dynasty: "The frog is a symbol of fertility and people who come to this temple are blessed with healthy children. Frogs are also known to be symbols of prosperity.”
