In general, a lemon just costs a mere buck. But the lemons spiked on the spear of the presiding deity at a temple in the Villupuram, Tamil Nadu are no ordinary ones. In a religious custom at the Balathandayuthapani temple in Tiruvanainallur ‘lemons’ spiked on the spear of the presiding deity, Muruga is auctioned, which fetched thousands of rupees.
In such a ritual held in 2017, 9 such lemons auctioned by the temple management at the end of the 11-day Panguni Uthiram festival wich fetched Rs 68,000. The lemon used to decorate the spear on first day of the festival is considered the “most auspicious and powerful one.
Interestingly, a whopping amount of Rs 27,000 was paid for just one lemon. A couple from Ottananthal, Mahalingam and Jayanthi, purchased this year’s first lemon for Rs 27,000.
The lemons used on the second and third day of the puja fetched Rs 6,000 each while the one used on the fourth day was auctioned for Rs 5,800.
According to the customary rituals, a lemon is spiked every day during the first nine days of the Panguni Uthiram festival.
The locals of Tiruvanainallur believe that possessing these lemons brings prosperity.
According to the elderly local on the village, “around forty years ago, the temple gave away the lemons used for the ritual free of cost but the demand for them led the management to begin auctioning them.”
“It is believed that the lemons help childless couples become parents,” he added.
In 2016, the lemon from the first day was auctioned for Rs 39,000, with the temple raising Rs 57,722 altogether.
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