By Tim Binnall
A home in India has become a destination for the deeply devout after the discovery of an ice formation that some believe is a miraculous message. According to a local media report, the peculiar case started on Sunday when Lata Kushwaha's family in the city of Arga noticed something unusual in their freezer. Specifically, ice had taken on the shape of a shivling, a revered symbol representing the Hindu deity Lord Shiva. The frosty oddity immediately reminded her of a similar, albeit much larger, formation in Kashmir's Amarnath Cave, which draws thousands of visitors each year.
Having long argued with her husband over his refusal to take her on a pilgrimage to the site, Kushwaha marveled that the formation appeared to be an answer to her prayers. "My wish to visit Amarnath has come true," she marveled, "it's a miracle. I am still pinching myself." Similar to perceived appearances of the Virgin Mary in water stains or Jesus' face on toast, when a video of the suspected shivling was posted online, people from throughout the area began swarming the family's home to pray and leave offerings, such as coins and flowers, around the formation.
Alas, it would seem that the icy wonder may wind up being short-lived due to all of the excitement surrounding it. "My sister’s house is packed with devotees. There's barely any room to stand," her brother explained, "with the fridge being opened and closed so frequently, the 'shivling' has started to melt." As one might imagine, not everyone believes that the formation is miraculous. Many skeptical individuals argue that the suspected shivling is merely a natural occurrence, with one person noting that "this always happens in old manual defrost fridges." Be that as it may, Kushwaha is undeterred. "It’s not only me, but the people who are thronging throughout to catch a glimpse," she mused, "they also believe it's Shiva."