Semi-clad women plough fields to placate Rain God

Sant Ravidasnagar, July 12 (UNI) Women in this district of East Uttar Pradesh are embarking on a superstitious practice of ploughing fields while being semi-clad, only out of a belief that the ritual will propitiate the Rain Gods to shower their might on the rain thirsty state.

The bizarre ritual took place in Manapur village, where over 50 women, on the advise of some priests, indulged in the placatory step by ploughing fields half-naked on Tuesday night.

According to villagers, last year, they had heaved a sigh of relief on seeing the Rain God's ''showering blessings'' only after the women ploughed the fields in the similar manner.

People hoped that this year too, the placatory step would work like a lucky charm and make the prospects of their crops good.

''It rained cats and dog the previous year after we practiced the nude ritual. This year also, we had no option left,'' a woman said.

Due to roasting heat and delayed monsoons, the entire Eastern UP is on the brink of drought.

Since the advent of June, several deaths had been reported in Mirzapur, Gorakhpur, Deoria and Maharajganj districts of the state, following the outbreak of deadly diseases like Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and diarrhoea.

UNI