Unique and Strange temples of India

Brahma Baba's Temple, Jaunpur - 

Devotees make offerings of clocks to please the deity. Devotees of all religions flock to the temple to make wishes and according to them they have never been disappointed. To express their gratitude, they make offering of clocks and watches.

Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara, Jalandhar - Offer toy planes to get a visa

This gurudwara in a village near Jalandhar is flooded with toy plane by devotees who believe that this will help them get a visa . Sadly, not much is known about the saint in whose memory the gurudwara was constructed.

Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple, Kodungullar - The Goddess is abused during the Bharani festival

In this temple in Kerala, Goddess Bhadrakali is abused by devotees during an annual festival.

History

It is said that sixth avatar of Vishnu, Sage Parasurama built this temple for the prosperity of the people. According to the old chronicles, this Bhagavathi temple was created in the heart of the town many centuries ago to serve a special purpose.[3] Legend says that, after the creation of Kerala by Parasurama, he was harassed by a demon called Daruka. To kill this evil demon, Parasurama prayed to Lord Shiva for help. As advised by Shiva, Parasurama constructed the shrine and installed the Shakti Devi as Bhagavathi/Bhadrakali. The deity in the temple, it is believed, is Parashakthi herself. According to legends, it was Bhadrakali who killed the evil demon Daruka.

In Tantric terms the divinity is installed in what is called the "RURUJIT VIDHAANA" a form of installation where at one end is shiva and at the other end Ganapathy with Sapta Matrus in between.

According to another belief, the Kannaki came to Kodungallur and prayed to Goddess Bhadrakali of Kodungallur. She got absorbed to Bhagavathy idol. From time immemorial, persons wishing to earn merit have been offering animal sacrifice. Countless fowl and goats were sacrificed to the deity as vowed gifts for the protection and fulfillment of desires. At the intervention of many social reformers, the government of Cochin banned animal sacrifice in any form at this place. At present, only red-dyed dhotis are offered to the deity. Many devotees offer rich presents and gold ornaments.[4][5]

The people of Kodungallur believe that this temple was, in the olden days, a Shiva shrine and it was Parasurama who installed Sri Kurumba Bhagavathi close to the idol of Shiva. Although this is a small town and has several temples, most of them are Shiva shrines. The poojas are conducted under direct instructions from Sri Bhagavathi Herself. Five 'Sri Chakras' installed by Adi Shankaracharya are believed to be the main source of the powers of this deity. The priests are Namboodiris and Adikas (Madhu Brahmins) who have a right to perform ‘Pushpanjalis' to the Goddess.

Bhagavathi being the patron of the royal family of Cranganore, the Raja plays an active part in the celebrations of the festival. Standing upon a rostrum built around a banyan tree, the Raja spreads out a silken umbrella soon after the door of the Devi shrine is opened. The peculiarity of the event is that it denotes the giving permission for all castes to enter the precincts of the temple for worship. This is known as ‘Kavu Theendal'. Devotees run round the temple thrice with sticks in hand before they enter the shrine. The legend goes to prove that the killing of the Demon has taken place and the sticks are substitutes for the arms and swords used in olden days.

Another Sree Kurumbaamma temple is situated at the South Side of the Town.Kudumbi Community Peoples pay their Services to this deity.

Bharani festival

Kodungallur Bharani festival in Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple

The Bharani festival at the Kodungallur Bhagawati temple is one of the grandest in Kerala. It is a month of festivities from the Bharani asterism in the month of Kumbham to 7 days after the Bharani asterism in the month of Meenam. It normally falls between the months of March and April. The festival usually starts with the ritual called 'Kozhikkallu moodal' which involves the sacrifice of cocks and shedding of their blood, which forms an important feature of this temple. The members of the Kodungallur Bhagavathy temple are allowed to participate in this ritual. It is to appease the goddess Kali and her demons who take delight in blood offerings.

'Kavu Theendal', another important event of the festival, overseen by the King of Kodungallur where Vellichapads (oracles) make a run around the temple waving their sabres in the air while the members of their retinue offer reverence over the inner quadrangle. They make cry of abuse at the goddess in bawdy language. Their abuse is said to be accepted by the goddess followed by the purification ceremony the next day. Chandanapoti Charthal is yet another festival of smearing the image with sandal paste.

Bhagavati temple's most striking feature is its secret underground chamber, which is the 'Sakthi Kendra' (center of power) of the temple. This sealed vault with no doors and windows is located to the east of the Kali image. The only way to enter this granite chamber is through the door from inside the sanctum.

It is yet unexplored and the locals believe that peering into the vault would bring traumatic effects. The elephant procession during the 'Thalapoli festival' turns back when it reaches this spot. 

Ravana Temple, Ravangram:

Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins, believed to be descendants of Ravana worship Ravan in this village in Madhya Pradesh.

Poruvazhy Peruviruthy Malanada, Poruvazhy - Duryodhana is worshipped here

The Kaurava prince is worshipped in several temples in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. But there is a temple in a village in Kerala too which worships the prince as an adept administrator.

Sath Gumbaz Mosque, Gulbarga - Kids with disabilities buried neck deep in mud during an eclipse to cure them

Kids suffering from disabilities are brought to the mosque to be blessed. Then they are lowered into pits digged in the mud. Some of the kids are not even an year old.