India hosts many temples renowned not only for their deities and architecture but also for the unusual and captivating offerings devotees present. These unique temple offerings in India include bangles, swords, hair, and other intriguing items. They are embedded in local mythology and ritual significance. Exploring these temples provides fascinating insights into India’s rich religious culture and diverse devotional practices.
1. Bangles Offering Temples
- Vishwesha Tirtha Temple, Kashi (Varanasi)
Devotees offer glass bangles here to appease Lord Vishweshwara (Shiva) and seek blessings for marital harmony and family welfare. The ritual originates from local customs associating bangles with feminine energy and prosperity. - Bhadrakali Temple, Kurukshetra
Devotees offer terracotta and metal horses and colorful bangles as symbols of gratitude and fulfilled vows. This temple’s offerings are intertwined with the legend of Pandavas seeking divine help during the Mahabharata war.
2. Sword Offering Temples
- Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Bihar
Devotees offer swords and knives symbolizing valor and protection to the goddess Mundeshwari. This reflects the ancient Shakta tradition of worship with martial symbolism. - Khandoba Temple, Maharashtra
This temple celebrates Khandoba, a warrior deity. Here, devotees present swords during festivals to honor divine martial power and victory over evil.
3. Hair Offering Temples
- Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati
One of India’s most famous temples, devotees shave their heads and offer their hair. This symbolizes surrender, humility, and gratitude for fulfillment of wishes. The temple’s hair tonsuring is a massive ritual with thousands participating daily. - Anjaneya Temple, Andhra Pradesh
Hair offering here symbolizes renewal and devotion, especially linked to Lord Hanuman’s strength and blessing.
4. Unique Offerings in Mahabharata-Related Temples
- Shakuni’s Temple, Kollam, Kerala
Devotees offer tender coconut, silk, and toddy. These are unusual for Hindu temples but signify local acceptance of the complex character of Shakuni from Mahabharata lore. - Bhishma Temple, Allahabad
Offerings include arrows and symbolic weapons reflecting Bhishma’s sacrifice on the battlefield. - Hidimba Temple, Manali
Blood sacrifices still occur here in honor of the fierce goddess Hidimba. This reflects an ancient tradition rarely sustained elsewhere.
5. Other Noteworthy Unique Offerings
- Draupadi Amman Temples (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka)
Devotees offer turmeric, vermilion, and clay horses to Draupadi, worshiped here as an incarnation of Goddess Kali. - Karna Temple, Uttarkashi
This wooden temple complex includes offerings of lamps and symbolic gifts celebrating Karna’s virtues and tragic destiny.
Unique Prasad (Holy Food) Offerings
- The Alagar Temple in Madurai offers dosas (rice crepes) made from grains brought by devotees and shared as prasad.
- The Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu provides a sacred fruit jam called Panchamritham made of jaggery and five types of fruits.
- The Chinese Kali Temple in Kolkata uniquely offers Chinese vegetarian dishes like noodles and momos as prasad, reflecting cultural harmony.
Uncommon Ritual Practices
- The Kamakhya Temple in Assam distributes cloth soaked with the goddess’s menstrual fluid during the Ambubachi festival. This breaks taboos and celebrates fertility.
- The Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Ujjain receives offerings of liquor daily, a practice rooted in local legend and symbolic of divine protection.
How These Unique Offerings Enhance Devotional Experience
These uncommon offerings connect devotees with temple deities in personalized ways, often fulfilling specific local stories or divine attributes.
- Reflect the diversity and inclusiveness of Indian spiritual traditions.
- Provide symbolic acts of surrender, protection, healing, or prosperity.
- Make each temple pilgrimage uniquely memorable and culturally rich.
Textile and Clothing
- Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
Devotees offer colorful silk sarees and finely woven fabrics to Goddess Meenakshi, symbolizing devotion and cultural tradition. These offerings support local artisans. They are believed to carry the devotee’s prayers in the vibrant threads. - Bhadrakali temple, Warangal, Telangana
People donate sarees, dhotis, and turbans as offerings. This reflects community respect and seeking blessings for familial prosperity.
Offering the Precious Metals and Jewelry
- Golden Temple, Sripuram, Tamil Nadu
Devotees present gold ornaments and jewelry pieces to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. It is a symbolic act of surrender and wealth-sharing. - Mukteshwar Temple, Odisha
Ancient traditions include offering gold and silver coins. These contribute to the temple’s upkeep and community welfare activities.
Offering of Food and Beverage
- Devadiga Temple, Karnataka
Offerings include homemade rice beer, symbolizing agricultural fertility and gratitude for harvests. - Varanasi Vishwanath Temple
The temple priest traditionally gives out a special mixture of honey, ghee, and herbal concoctions as prasadam. It is believed to have healing properties.
Symbolic Meaning and Regional Variations
Unique offerings reflect the local history, climate, religious identities, and mythologies. For example:
- Martial offerings dominate in South and West India, where warrior cultures shaped religious practices.
- Textile and jewelry offerings are prevalent in regions known for traditional weaving and crafts.
- Food and drink offerings often relate to agrarian cycles and fertility rites in tribal and agrarian communities.
How to Experience Unique Temple Offerings as a Visitor
Visit during festivals or special days when unique offerings are made en masse, for a rich cultural experience.
Participate in or respectfully observe rituals involving these offerings.
Learn the stories behind each unique offering for deeper spiritual understanding.
Purchase local handcrafted items connected to these traditions as souvenirs or gifts.
Alcohol Offerings
- Kal Bhairav Nath Temple, Varanasi offers a rare ritual where devotees present liquor—whiskey or wine—which is poured directly into Lord Kal Bhairav’s mouth and distributed as prasad. This unconventional offering symbolizes the fierce nature of this deity and the breaking of social taboos.
Food Offerings Beyond Sweets
- The Chinese Kali Temple in Kolkata uniquely offers Chinese food such as noodles and momos to the Goddess Kali; furthermore, this practice blends local devotional practices with the rich cultural heritage of Kolkata’s Chinese community.
Blood and Fierce Ritual Offerings
- Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple, Kerala features a striking ritual where devotees express fierce devotion by hurling abuses and neem leaves to the goddess.
- Devaragattu Temple, Andhra Pradesh hosts the century-old Bani festival where devotees beat each other to honor Lord Shiva’s victory over a demon, symbolizing triumph and purification.
Offering Unique Prasads
- Alagar Temple, Madurai offers rice dosas baked from grains brought by devotees, emphasizing community and shared blessings.
- Lord Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu serves Panchamritham, a special sweet mixture symbolizing five sacred ingredients.
Symbolic Offerings of Material Wealth
- Thousands of devotees present jewelry, gold, silk, and turmeric at temples like Meenakshi Amman in Madurai, Vishweshwara in Varanasi, and Golden Temple in Sripuram, Tamil Nadu, symbolizing surrender and prosperity.
Healing Rituals and Sacred Waters
- Temple waters at Guruvayoor and Rameswaram possess reputed healing powers, with devotees collecting abhishekam water for cures and blessings, connecting faith with wellness traditions.
Alcohol as Sacred Offering
At Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Varanasi and Ujjain, devotees present bottles of liquor daily. The priest pours a small amount for the deity, who is believed to “consume” it. The remaining serves as prasad, symbolizing acceptance of all forms of devotion and the fierce protective nature of Kal Bhairav.
Food Offerings Beyond Tradition
- The Chinese Kali Temple in Kolkata uniquely offers Chinese dishes like noodles, momos, and sticky rice as bhog which is then given as prasad, blending regional culture with devotional practice.
- The Alagar Temple in Madurai is famous for presenting dosas as offerings, baked from grains brought by worshippers, highlighting community participation and shared blessings.
Offering Miniature Replicas
- At the Aeroplane Gurudwara in Jalandhar, devotees offer miniature model airplanes, fulfilling wishes related to travel and careers—an extraordinary example of adaptive contemporary faith expressed through symbolic offerings.
Animal Devotees and Unique Presences
- The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan, the Rat Temple, hosts over 20,000 rats considered sacred. This temple challenges conventional devotional norms and symbolizes coexistence with nature.
Blood and Fierce Devotion
- Devaragattu Temple, Andhra Pradesh upholds the ancient “lathi” ritual where devotees symbolically strike each other to earn the goddess’s blessings. Such intense acts of devotion underscore the raw emotional power Hindu worship sometimes harnesses.
Literary and Educational Offerings
Mahadeva Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, offers a rare prasad of books, CDs, and DVDs promoting knowledge and spiritual wisdom reflecting the intellectual legacy of temples as centers of learning.
Liquor as Sacred Offering
At the Kal Bhairav Nath Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, devotees offer bottles of liquor daily. Priests pour it into the deity’s mouth, and the liquor mysteriously disappears, symbolizing the acceptance of all forms of devotion and the fierce nature of Kal Bhairav. This ritual attracts devotees and curious visitors alike, reflecting ancient tantric traditions.
Unique Food Offerings
- The Chinese Kali Temple in Kolkata receives offerings of Chinese cuisine like noodles, momos, and chopsuey as prasad, showcasing cultural integration and religious tolerance.
- The Alagar Temple, Madurai offers dosas made from grains brought by devotees, symbolizing community sharing and divine nourishment.
- The Lord Murugan Temple in Palani, Tamil Nadu, distributes a special fruit jam called Panchamritham made with jaggery, sugar candy, and five fruits, representing a rare prasad.
Blood and Fierce Devotional Rituals
- At Devaragattu Temple, Andhra Pradesh, devotees partake in the ancient lathi ritual, where they symbolically strike each other to gain the goddess’s blessing, echoing fierce emotional devotion practices.
- Kamakhya Temple in Assam distributes small cloth pieces soaked with the goddess’s supposed menstrual fluid during the Ambubachi festival, breaking societal taboos and celebrating fertility and feminine power.
Unique Food Offerings
- The Chinese Kali Temple in Kolkata serves Chinese dishes like noodles and momos as prasad, representing cultural fusion and respect for devotional diversity.
- The Alagar Temple in Madurai offers dosas made from grains brought by devotees, symbolizing community blessings and nurturing faith.
- The Murugan Temple in Tamil Nadu offers Panchamritham, a sweet made with five sacred fruits and jaggery, representing divine nourishment.
Fierce Rituals
- At the Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala, devotees express fervor by hurling abuses and neem leaves at the goddess, symbolizing a raw, unrestrained form of devotion.
- The Devaragattu Temple in Andhra Pradesh witnesses the century-old “lathi” ritual during Dussehra, where devotees strike each other symbolizing the mythic slaying of demons.
Unusual Symbolic Offerings
- The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab receives miniature model airplanes, a modern devotional symbol linked to wishes for safe journeys.
- The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan reveres thousands of rats as sacred beings, attracting visitors to worship this unique ecosystem.
Offering Hair
The Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati is famous worldwide for head tonsuring. Devotees shave heads as an offering of humility and devotion, their hair selling internationally, making it one of the largest markets for temple hair.
Precious Metals and Jewelry
Temples like Meenakshi Amman in Madurai and the Golden Temple in Sripuram receive offerings of gold, silver, and silk, symbolizing the devotee’s surrender and invocation of prosperity.
Offerings of Miniature Models and Rare Items
- The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab features miniature model airplanes offered by devotees seeking travel success.
- The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan reveres over 20,000 sacred rats; devotees offer prasad that these rats share with the devotees, symbolizing unique ecological harmony.
Fierce Rituals
- At the Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala, devotees express fervor by hurling abuses and neem leaves at the goddess, symbolizing a raw, unrestrained form of devotion.
- The Devaragattu Temple in Andhra Pradesh witnesses the century-old “lathi” ritual during Dussehra, where devotees strike each other symbolizing the mythic slaying of demons.
Unusual Symbolic Offerings
- The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab receives miniature model airplanes, a modern devotional symbol linked to wishes for safe journeys.
- The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan reveres thousands of rats as sacred beings, attracting visitors to worship this unique ecosystem.
Offering Hair
The Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati is famous worldwide for head tonsuring. Devotees shave heads as an offering of humility and devotion, their hair selling internationally, making it one of the largest markets for temple hair.
Precious Metals and Jewelry
Temples like Meenakshi Amman in Madurai and the Golden Temple in Sripuram receive offerings of gold, silver, and silk, symbolizing the devotee’s surrender and invocation of prosperity.
Offering of Dosas and Grains
- The Alagar Kallazhagar Temple in Madurai invites devotees to bring grains used to prepare dosas, which are then offered to Lord Vishnu and distributed as prasad to worshippers. This communal food offering symbolizes nourishment and blessing shared between deity and devotees.
Menstrual Cloth Prasad
- The Kamakhya Temple in Assam, known for its Ambubachi festival, uniquely offers small cloth pieces soaked in the goddess’s supposed menstrual fluid as prasad. This breaks social taboos around menstruation and celebrates feminine power and fertility.
Liquor Offering and Distribution
- Temples like Kal Bhairav Nath in Ujjain and Varanasi allow devotees to offer liquor, which priests pour into the deity’s mouth. The remaining is shared as prasad, symbolizing acceptance of all types of devotion, even those considered taboo.
Unique Regional Offerings
- At Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata, devotees offer Chinese cuisine items like noodles and momos during worship, highlighting cultural crossovers in devotional practices.
Miniature Models and Artistic Offerings
- The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab receives miniature airplanes as offerings from devotees seeking travel blessings.
- The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan reveres thousands of rats, with devotees offering food and prasad for this unique ecosystem.
Healing and Knowledge Offerings
- Some temples in Kerala, like the Mahadeva Temple in Thrissur, encourage offerings of books, CDs, and DVDs, symbolizing the gifting of knowledge and spiritual wisdom alongside traditional devotion.
These unusual temple offerings provide a rich palette of stories and rituals that make Indian temples vibrant centers of living culture. Incorporating these unique traditions into your blog will deepen reader engagement, balancing historical and mythological significance with fascinating cultural details.
Environmental and Ethical Considerations
- Many temples now encourage eco-friendly offerings such as flower petals without plastic wrapping, biodegradable lamps, and organic prasads, aligning spiritual practice with environmental responsibility.
- Some temples discourage animal sacrifices and promote symbolic offerings like fruits or cooked meals, responding to increasing animal welfare awareness.
Digital and Virtual Offerings
- Due to globalization and technological advances, major temples like Tirupati Balaji and Vaishno Devi offer devotees options to present offerings and receive blessings virtually, broadening accessibility and participation without physical presence.
- Donations, rituals, and even personalized poojas can be conducted online, modernizing centuries-old traditions.
Customized and Personal Offerings
- Devotees increasingly bring personalized offerings such as photographs, heirlooms, or written prayers, reflecting a shift towards individual spiritual connections.
- Some temples allow symbolic offerings like silver or gold-plated replicas of items (swords, vehicles, jewelry), representing wishes for protection or prosperity.
Community and Charity-Based Offerings
Festivals now include mass feeding and free distribution of clothes, where offerings directly support local needy populations maintaining the temple’s role as a social hub.
Donations towards community welfare projects, temple schools, and healthcare are accepted as an alternative to material offerings, integrating devotion with social impact.
Unique Temple Offerings: Symbolism and Regional Traditions
Bangles as Symbolic Gifts
Bangles carry deep cultural significance as a symbol of feminine energy, marital well-being, and prosperity. Devotees often donate bangles at temples where the Goddess or feminine divinities hold primacy.
- Vishwesha Tirtha Temple, Varanasi: Devotees offer glass bangles to invoke blessings for happy marriages and domestic peace.
- Bhadrakali Temple, Kurukshetra: Worshipers offer colorful bangles and terracotta horses in thanks for divine protection.
Swords and Weapons: Power and Protection
Weapons offered at temples symbolize divine strength, valor, and protection against evil. These offerings often appear in temples dedicated to fierce deities or warrior saints.
- Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Bihar: Sword and knife offerings are common, resonating with ancient Shakta (goddess) worship and local martial history.
- Khandoba Temple, Maharashtra: The deity is revered as a warrior; devotees submit swords during festivals to honor his power for triumph and protection.
Offering weapons is a profound act of faith expressing the connection between spiritual power and human courage.
Hair Offerings: Humility and Surrender
Hair tonsuring conveys humility, ego-renunciation, and deep spiritual surrender. Shaving the head symbolizes cleansing and new beginnings.
- Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati: Millions of devotees annually donate hair, an act coupled with the temple’s extensive hair commercial network, which sustains temple finances and local industry.
- Anjaneya Temples: Offerings of hair here express devotees’ connection with Hanuman’s strength and divine grace.
The ritual of hair offering remains one of the most transformative devotional acts symbolizing self-surrender.
Alcohol and Unorthodox Offerings
Alcohol offerings appear in select temples with tantric origins or fierce deities, signifying transcendence of social norms and symbolic purification.
- Kal Bhairav Nath Temple, Ujjain and Varanasi: Devotees offer liquor; priests pour it for the deity, who “consumes” it, with leftover shared as prasad.
- Devaragattu Temple, Andhra Pradesh: Intense rituals involving ritualistic physical acts accompany offerings honoring the goddess’ fierce aspects.
These practices continue to fascinate as living heritages counterpointing mainstream religious customs.
Unique Prasad from Distinct Temples
- Alagar Temple, Madurai: Offers dosas made using grains brought by devotees, symbolizing community blessings and shared divine bounty.
- Murugan Temples, Tamil Nadu: Distribute Panchamritham, a sweet blend of five sacred fruits, jaggery, and milk, symbolizing auspiciousness and divine nourishment.
- Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata: Serves Chinese cuisine as prasad, merging cultural influences with local devotion and signaling inclusive worship trends.
Contemporary Trends in Temple Offerings (2025)
Digital Offerings and Virtual Poojas
Technology enables devotees globally to participate in offerings through online portals, livestreamed rituals, and online donation platforms. This expansion democratizes devotion and modernizes deeper connection with temples.
Community-Oriented Offerings
Many temples support charitable giving and community welfare through offerings. Donations for temple schools, health clinics, and feeding programs increasingly replace material gifts, blending faith with social responsibility.
Regional Diversity in Unique Offerings
Each region’s cultural matrix reflects in its temple offerings:
- North and West India emphasize martial offerings and precious metals, connecting warrior traditions with sacred patronage.
- South India features elaborate food-based and textile offerings, showcasing rich culinary and craft heritage tied to divine worship.
- Northeast and Tribal Areas express devotion through sacrificial offerings, ritual dances, and natural product gifts linked to animistic traditions.
Unusual and Unique Temple Rituals in India
1. The “Going to Bed Ceremony” at Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
Every night, priests perform a mesmerizing ritual where the deity Meenakshi is ceremoniously put to bed. This ritual is a vibrant reflection of the temple’s deep connection with daily life and cosmic rhythms and includes singing, lamp waving, and symbolic offerings. The colorful, illuminated temple at dusk during this event captivates thousands of visitors.
2. Ambubachi Mela: Menstruation Festival at Kamakhya Temple, Assam
One of the most unique rituals in India, this festival celebrates the goddess’s menstruation cycle by closing the temple for three days, during which devotees believe the goddess undergoes her monthly cycle. On reopening, devotees receive red cloth prasad symbolizing fertility and abundance, challenging social taboos and celebrating feminine divine energy.
3. Garudan Thookam in Kerala
Performed in honor of Lord Vishnu’s vehicle Garuda, this ritual involves performers piercing their backs with hooks and hanging from a wooden structure. It symbolizes appeasing the goddess Kali and is performed during specific festivals. The physical endurance and colorful procession draw pilgrims and curiosity seekers alike.
4. Coconut Smashing Ritual in Tamil Nadu
At the Mahalakshmi Temple in Karur district, thousands of devotees smash coconuts on their heads as an offering to the goddess to invoke her blessings for prosperity and relief from troubles. This intense ritual reflects faith and courage in the face of physical pain.
5. Offering Liquor at Kal Bhairav Temples, Ujjain and Varanasi
Devotees present bottles of liquor at these temples dedicated to the fierce form of Shiva, Kal Bhairav. Priests pour liquor directly into the deity’s mouth, and the rest is given as sacred prasad. This unusual practice symbolizes transcending social taboos and embracing all forms of devotion.
6. Offering of Chinese Food at Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata
Reflecting the cultural fusion in Kolkata, devotees offer noodles, momos, and other Chinese delicacies as prasad to Goddess Kali. This unique practice highlights how local traditions creatively influence temple rituals, inviting cross-cultural harmony.
7. Sacred Rats at Karni Mata Temple, Rajasthan
Known as the Rat Temple, it houses over 20,000 rats considered sacred and believed to carry the souls of devotees. Devotees offer milk and sweets to them, and spotting a white rat is considered especially auspicious. This living ecosystem symbolizes respect for all creatures and divine presence in nature.
8. Tossing Babies from Rooftops
An extremely rare and controversial ritual practiced in some temples like Baba Umer Dargah in Maharashtra and Sri Santeswar Temple in Karnataka involves tossing infants from roofs to devotees holding sheets below. It is believed to bring blessings and health to the child, rooted in ancient local customs.
9. Exorcism Rituals at Mehendipur Balaji Temple, Rajasthan
This temple is well-known as the ‘exorcist temple’ in India, drawing those troubled by evil spirits. Ceremonies involve chanting, fire rituals, and trance states believed to cleanse devotees of negative energies, blending faith and folk medicine.
Insights on These Unique Practices
- These unusual offerings and rituals demonstrate the living, evolving character of Indian temples.
- They challenge conventional worship by embracing a wide spectrum of human experience, including pain, taboo, celebration, and healing.
- Many rituals root deeply in regional folklore, integrating local culture with the pan-Indian spiritual framework.
- Some serve therapeutic community functions such as exorcisms or mental health healing, providing social cohesion.
- Collectively, they attract diverse followers, including spiritual seekers, tourists, anthropologists, and devotees, drawn by rich cultural expression.
How to Experience and Respect These Unique Traditions
Support temple preservation by patronizing local crafts and donating responsibly.
Approach these temples with openness, reverence, and cultural sensitivity.
Participate or observe the rituals respectfully; many have specific rules regarding photography and behavior.
Learn the stories and symbolism behind these practices to deepen appreciation.
Other Noteworthy Unusual Offerings
Offering books, CDs, and DVDs at Mahadeva Temple, Thrissur, Kerala symbolizes spiritual knowledge’s importance as a divine gift.
Devotees offer clocks and watches at Brahma Baba Temple, Uttar Pradesh, symbolizing time and life’s impermanence.
