Thursday, March 19, 2009

'Frog marriage' to please rain god in Nepal

Kathmandu, (PTI)

Some Nepalese farmers have found a novel way to please rain god who has been shying for long by arranging 'frog marriage' to seek their blessings, as the 'croak' of the amphibians mark the arrival of the monsoon.

Suffering from lack of rain for more than eight months farmers of central Nepal have arranged frogs' marriage.

The residents of Gairi village in Dolakha district, 150 km east of Kathmandu, conducted marriage ceremony of frogs as per Hindu rituals amidst hundreds of onlookers.

The locals brought a groom frog from Siple stream while the bride was brought to the ceremony from Chukepani stream.

The two amphibians couple were later married in the ceremony held on a plate at local Nageshwori Kalikasthan temple as prayers shouted to congratulate them.

To perform the wedding rituals, the locals had invited seven priests on the occasion. Each family of the village contributed Rs 20 in order to organise the wedding feast.

One of the locals recalled that they witnessed rainfall after performing similar rituals five years back. After the hours of ceremony the newly wed couple were let go in a nearby stream, with the hope that they might communicate to the rain god about the locals' plight due to the drought.

Shortly after the rituals ended there was a strong gale followed by a brief drizzle, according to a local woman. However, there was not sufficient rain so that the worry of the local farmers is overcome.

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