Shyam Das, Asansol: Intense excitement and curiosity have recently been sparked surrounding an ancient Shiva temple in the Panchgharia Nayabasti Ghatal area of Barabani assembly constituency in West Bardhaman district of West Bengal. A large section of local residents claim that when water is offered to the Shiva Linga and Nandi idol in that temple using a spoon, the water vanishes instantly, which seems like a miraculous event to ordinary people.
According to information received from local sources, a local family of the area went to offer worship at the old Shiva temple as usual last Wednesday morning. During the worship, a female member of that family poured water on the Shiva Linga. But according to her claim, instead of the water flowing down the body of the idol in the normal way, this did not happen here. The water disappeared somewhere.
Curious after this incident, the woman started pouring water on the Shiva Linga with a spoon. The family claims that as soon as the spoon-full of water was touched to the Shiva Linga, it vanished in the blink of an eye. Not only on the Shiva Linga, but later a teenage member of the family also poured water with a spoon into the mouth of the Nandi idol outside the temple. It is claimed that the exact same phenomenon repeated there as well.
It did not take long for the news of this strange incident to spread like wildfire in the area. In an instant, hundreds of people from surrounding villages and areas started crowding the temple premises. Everyone became eager to witness this sight with their own eyes and to offer water. Some people started proclaiming this as the grace or miraculous lila (divine play) of Mahadev, the Lord of Lords, which has created an atmosphere of devotion among the devotee community.
However, following this incident, questions of logic have naturally started to arise among the conscious circles and science enthusiasts. According to representatives and experts of the Science Forum (Bigyan Mancha), this could happen due to the porosity or porous nature of the stone or material with which the Shiva Linga or Nandi idols are made. Due to the absorption capacity of the stone, rapid evaporation of water, or capillary action, the water may not be easily visible. Moreover, due to the structural style of the idol and the small amount of water, such an optical illusion or physical reaction is not impossible.
While attempts are being made to find a scientific explanation behind the miraculous claims, a festive mood has been created in the Panchgharia Nayabasti area centering around this incident. People are rushing from far and wide to visit the temple. However, intellectuals believe that a comprehensive investigation at the administrative level or in a scientific manner is necessary to verify the truth of such events and to eradicate superstition.
