Karwar: The offerings to Gods in Hindusim mainly revolves around fruits, milk or even agri-produces. In specific traditions animal sacrifices are also performed to please the Gods. But, here in Karwar, people throng the temple of Khafri Deva located at Kodibhaga with liquor bottles and cigarette packs.
The annual festival of the temple was held on Sunday, March 11 and the devotees had come here in large numbers with their offerings hoping that their God would guard them.
Who is Khafri?
The locals say that about a century ago an African national named Khafri had come and settled on banks of river Kali. While nobody knew how he landed here in Karwar, the locals realised that he had some miraculous powers. Soon he came to be identified as a saviour of the poor. After having responded to pains of scores of people, Khafri mysteriously went missing one day. When all efforts of the people to find him went invain and when locals lost all their hopes, a villager named Parasappa had a dream where Khafri directed him to build a temple in his honour. He also says that he would want his believers to offer him two of his favourite things-liquor and cigarette as offerings there.
Parasappa makes a stone idol and starts offering prayers and the tradition continues.
Even to this day locals say that their faith has been upheld and that Lord Khafri responds to their problems.
While some bring flowers and other offering also, majority bring liquor and cigarettes and even take back home the same as prasadam.
The annual festival of the temple witnesses devotees from various parts of Karnataka and Goa coming here to find solace.
