In northern India, people hold prayers for rains

Agra/ Ahmedabad, July 3 (ANI): Seeking an end to the ongoing dry spell in country's northern and western regions, the religious-minded are organising special prayers at different places.

At a village in Agra, a number of women performed a special ritual to appease Lord Indra, the Rain God.

They performed 'Mangal Gaan' ritual and danced to the tune of folk songs. They also dug their dry land with shovels as part of age-old ritual.

"We are performing this ritual as both people and animal are unhappy because there is no rain. So we are trying to please the God. If God blesses us with rain, we will be very happy", said Her Devi, a resident woman.

In Gujarat's Ahmedabad city, with the scorching heat making life difficult for people, members of Muslim community organized a special mass prayer at the Juma Masjid for rains.

The Muslim cleric read prayers and sought forgiveness for all their sins.

"We all have prayed to Allah and I believe that he will surely bless us," said Shabbir Alam, Cleric (Imam) of Juma Masjid.

Like many other states, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh are facing an acute water shortage due to a delayed and uncertain monsoon.

The late monsoon is likely to affect the agricultural yield. (ANI)