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Unique Tradition at Binsar Temple in Almora: Leftover Food Thrown to Bring Rain
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News18•15-10-2026, 12:30
Unique Tradition at Binsar Temple in Almora: Leftover Food Thrown to Bring Rain
- •At the historic Binsar Temple in Uttarakhand, devotees throw leftover dal and rice onto the roof of the temple.
- •Built in the 17th century by Kalyan Chand Singh, the temple holds a community feast only once a year.
- •Villagers believe that this unique ritual angers Lord Shiva, causing it to rain in the mountainous region.
- •There is no fixed date for this ritual; it is performed whenever the village faces a dry spell to help with crop transplantation.
Key Questions Answered
At the Binsar Temple located in the Almora district of Uttarakhand, devotees throw leftover food-prasad onto the top of the temple after eating half of the offering.
Villagers believe that throwing leftover dal and rice balls onto the temple makes Lord Shiva angry so that it rains out of fury, which helps with farming and crop transplanting.
Villagers state that the temple was originally built around 1385 where Goddess Parvati meditated, and it was later constructed by Kalyan Chand Singh during the reign of the Chand kings in the 17th century.
