Locals say Khabees Baba was fond of liquor and whatever he used to say under its influence proved to be true.

'We have been told by our ancestors that a large number of people used to meet Khabees Baba Monday evenings, when he used to get drunk,' said Praveen Kumar, 65, a resident of the Roti Godam area of Sitapur. He visits the temple often.

'People, especially those with chronic health problems, used to come to Khabees Baba. An inebriated Baba used to bless them and their health problems used to be cured,' he added.

The small temple has no idol inside, instead there is a raised platform on which rests two slipper-shaped structures that are taken to symbolise the feet of the saint, locals say.

Devotees coming to the temple offer liquor on these clay structures, while a small portion of liquor around the symbolic feet is collected and distributed as prasad (offering) among the devotees.

There is no priest in the temple and the locals themselves take care of its maintenance, taking turns to do so.

(Asit Srivastava can be contacted at asit.s@ians.in)