People are thronging a three-century-old Shiva temple renamed as ‘Namo-Namo’ mandir at Bhagwanpur village with a three-feet tall plaster of Paris figure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside the temple.
The figure, depicting Modi in a sitting pose bears little resemblance to the Prime Minister. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader,Brijendra Narain Mishra, who is also the priest of the temple, has place a sign in Hindi on its lap that reads “Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi.
Located inside Mishra’s private property in Chail assembly segment, the renaming was done only recently with a small board displaying the new name near the temple entrance.
Mishra had placed the Modi figurine alongside the Shiv Lina in January this year, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, with an aim to pray to Lord Shiva to make Modi the Prime Minister by giving BJP a clear majority.
The local people had initially raised objections, but as the temple is in private land nothing could be done. However, after BJP got majority and Modi became the Prime Minister, villagers started visiting the temple to offer prayers – with the belief that Lord Shiva will grant their wishes too.
They even recite bhajans written by Mishra eulogising Modi even as regular prayers along with aarti is offered to both Lord Shiva and the PM in the morning and evening.
The 200-word aarti begins with “Jai Modi Raja, tere naam ka desh me danka baaja (Hail, Modi who lords over the country)”.
Mr Mishra claimed that during the election period,he performed havan in the temple everyday and prayed to Lord Shiva on behalf of Modiji to make him PM.
“Now, as our prayer has been fulfilled, we want Modiji to come and perform the ritual of ‘poorna aahuti’,” he said.