| Women ploughing fields in Bihar to bring rain Posted: 30 Jul 2011 10:23 PM PDT Patna: Women in Bihar have been ploughing parched fields to embarrass the rain deity to bring some badly-needed monsoon rains as drought stares this eastern Indian state for the third consecutive year.
Media reports say women walk to their fields shortly after sunset and plough the dried and cracked fields chanting ancient hymns as part of an old custom to invoke the deity. The women also dance and sing songs to please the weather deity.
They have vowed to continue all these practices until the weather deity smiles and rains lash their parched fields. The bizarre practice is currently being carried out in many drought-hit villages of Chakki block falling under western Bihar’s Buxar district, described as the “rice bowl” of Bihar.
“It is believed the women’s presence in the fields will embarrass the rain deity who in turn will send good shower to the dry fields. This is the most trusted custom continuing for centuries in the areas and we are quite hopeful of good results in the end,” said Rajvanshi Devi who leads the local women in performing these rituals.   |
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