ANANTAPUR: Even as Jana Vignana Vedika (JVV), a forum for popularising science among people, termed the idols drinking milk a routine occurrence of science, devotees and curious public made a beeline to a few temples in Tadipatri and Pedda Pappur on Monday to witness the "rare occurrence" for some and "god's power" for others.

It all started first in Poleramma temple located near vegetable market in Chinna Bazar in the morning. The idol of the goddess drank the milk offered by a devotee in a spoon. The incident spread like wild fire and devotees started offering milk to idols in other temples, too.

The same thing happened in Kanyakaparameshwari temple in Main Bazar and several other temples in Tadipatri town and surrounding areas. The phenomenon was also reported from Yadiki and Pedda Pappur mandals.

Scientific occurrence

To prove that it was just a scientific occurrence, the JVV activists exhibited the experiment in the busy Tower Clock circle in the evening to explain to the people about what could have happened in the temples. They brought an idol of elephant made of brick and cement and offered it milk in a spoon. As the curious onlookers watched holding their breath, the milk in the spoon was emptied.

State convenor of JVV sub-committee on health M. Geyanand explained it as capillarity -- the tendency of a liquid in a narrow tube or pore to rise or fall as a result of surface tension.

The solids, of which the idols were made of, would absorb the liquids like milk, kerosene or water when they come in contact with each other due to capillarity. "It gives an impression that the liquid is being sucked in by the idols. But it is actually an illusion as the absorbed liquid evaporates immediately," Dr. Geyanand explained. There was nothing supernatural in the phenomenon, he said and suggested the people to take it only as "fun".

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