Inside the town of Azamgarh, on the banks of holy river Tamsa, divine place of Hadha Baba is located. Here, worshiping continues from morning till night, and worshiping method is also different. Sweets or pudi halwa etc. are not offered here as ‘Prasad’, instead chicken and liquor is offered.Chicken which is offered is cooked at the same place, and the people who offer them sit here and also accept the offerings.
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Bathing is not mandatory for offering prayers here . As we wake up we can come here with our bottle and chicken. Despite this place being located right behind the city’s Sidhari police station, and despite the practice of drinking liquor continues from morning till late night, no policeman has the right to interfere. After drinking, the whole atmosphere resonates with the loud slurring voices of the drunkards.
Gathering is no exception at Hadha Baba,but on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, there is a lot of hustle and bustle. Devi Prasad Saini and Mahant Baba Ashok Das Modanvalji Maharaj are caretaker of this place. They also remain inebriate. They get so much liquor in the form of prasad, that they are unable to understand what they should do with this liquor.
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Manager Devi Prasad Saini says that all is due to Baba’s mercy . Anyone who comes here with a wish, is surely fulfilled. Mahant Ashok Das Modanawal says that no matter how much liquor anyone drinks here, he reaches his house scot free. That is why people’s faith is growing steadily.
Who was Hadha Baba
Hadha Baba never achieved sainthood. He was a common rickshaw driver of Azamgarh town. His house was in the city’s Rahul Nagar Madya mohalla and by caste he was ‘mallah’. There was no one else in his family. Whatever he used to earn, he use to spent it on chicken and liquor. Sometimes he also helped the needy. Often he used to drink liquor at this place along the banks of river Tamasa where on this day the temple is situated.
He use to give food and liquor to anyone who reached there. Three decades ago when he died, the drunken mallah of the mohallah performed his funeral at the same place. In addition to that, under the Peepal tree there, was declared place of worship by placing a statue of stone in the form of a symbol of Hadha Baba.
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After making chicken here, and offering it to Baba, and by offering him four droplets of liquor, the custom of consuming liquor started. Slowly the publicity of this place started, and the city’s boozers started gathering here. The reason for this is that these boozers found this place the safest place. Now this place of Hadha Baba has become quite grand. The devotees here have built a temple of Goddess Bhole Shankar, Yogiraj Sri Krishna Lord, etc. along with the grand temple of Hadha Baba.
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For the last two years, the women devotees also come in large numbers. Here these women also prepare chicken and drink little bit of liquor. Men worshipers drink heavily.The temple has been built by the devotees who gather here. The rich devotees also come here therefore there is no lack of facilities anymore. These great devotees include Kamla Prasad Yadav, a former Legislative Council member of SP.
When he was MLC, he made a grand night shelter from his fund. Now there is no problem for the people who come here during summers and rainy season. Azamgarh’s young journalist Abhishek Singh Vipul is a great devotee of Hadha Baba. There has not been a single Sunday for the last ten years, when he has not offered liquor and chicken offerings. He believe that all the wishes sought here are fulfilled.
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He was quite weak in studies but by the grace of Hadha Baba, he cleared high school. He says that he started his business alongwith journalism. It got better by the grace of Hadha Baba.
Sandeep Asthana : Azamgarh