In the mainly Hindu community of Adventure Sand in Region Two, devotees of the faith are overjoyed at the recent discovery of a Shiva Lingam stone in the trunk of a 70-ft locust tree east of the village.
The Shiva Lingam, the holy symbol of Lord Shiva, is considered quite sacred and worshipped with devotion in all temples. It is said to denote the primeval energy of the Creator.
Lord Shiva is considered all powerful and a destroyer of evil.
The tree which had a circumference of about 14 feet was cut down by a group of villagers last Thursday in preparation for the construction of an Ashram on the spot.
As soon as the lingam was discovered, several devotees poured milk on it, a traditional rite, and offered prayers.
And since the discovery more Hindus are flocking to the spot where the lingam was placed on the sawn off part of the root of the tree to offer prayers.
Some residents said that their grand and great-grand parents used to worship under the very tree so it had to be over 100 years old.
One resident, Guru Mahesh Tageshwar told Stabroek News that the lingam was discovered in the middle of the trunk in some water about 8 feet from the root of the tree and weighs approximately 7 pounds. The lingam stone is very dark in colour.
He said that worshippers usually offered prayers under the tree where a small zinc shed was constructed. Tageshwar explained that the decision to cut down the tree was made after it began shedding most of its top branches which were taken over by wild orchids.
He also recalled that a huge limb had fallen on the shed one day but fortunately the worshippers had left earlier.
Tageshwar and other villagers recounted that they decided to clear the area of the trunk and branches on Tuesday afternoon and were using a chainsaw to cut the trunk into small pieces.
But as the chainsaw operator was cross cutting the trunk, the saw hit something that felt like a piece of iron. On cutting around that spot, they found the lingam which they thought was a "strange but blessed discovery."
They said that the discovery was very auspicious since next Wednesday is Shiv Raatri where Lord Shiva is specially honoured.