Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Jan 14 (IANS): Preparations began on Thursday for installing a goddess idol made of 1,500 kg of clarified butter in the famous Brajeshwari Devi temple here, officials said.

The idol, prepared by using 'desi ghee' after purification with holy water 108 times by temple priests, will be installed early Friday morning, temple official Pawan Badyal told IANS.

Large numbers of devotees throng the temple every day to pay obeisance and have a glimpse of the butter idol.

The preparations for installing the idol began on Makar Sankrati, which is celebrated as a week-long festival at the temple.

Badyal said the idol would be removed from the 'pindi' or iconography of the goddess on January 20 and its 'prasada' or edible food would be distributed among the devotees.

It is believed that the idol butter cures chronic skin ailments and pain in the joints.

According to a legend, when the goddess was injured during a fight with the demons, her wounds were treated with butter by gods on Makar Sankranti.

One of the busiest shrines in north India, the Brajeshwari Devi temple sees a large number of pilgrims from Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.