E-Paper
Desperate farmers perform puja to appease rain god in Prayagraj
In Mungari village of trans-Yamuna area on Sunday, a few farmers performed puja in their agricultural fields to please Indradev (the God of thunder and lightning), Suryadev and other gods. They prayed for sending rains early for sowing their crops.
Even when heavy rains continue to batter several parts of the country, the farmers in many districts of North India, especially Uttar Pradesh, are still waiting for the rain god to shower his blessings here.
With clouds merely playing hide and seek for the past several weeks, the farmers in Prayagraj region have finally decided to make every effort possible to save their crops.
In Mungari village of trans-Yamuna area on Sunday, a few farmers performed puja in their agricultural fields to please Indradev (the God of thunder and lightning), Suryadev and other gods. They prayed for sending rains early for sowing their crops.
While looking at the clear skies, they said that they were hoping for rains in the last week of June, but there is no relief even when half of July month has passed. The farmers whose paddy saplings are ready for sowing are more worried than others as the crop needs good rains. The Kharif crop too is getting affected due to absence of rain.
Thus, apart from regularly ploughing their fields, the farmers are performing puja to please the gods for sending clouds and rains. Women too are participating in puja and are singing old folk songs for the arrival of rains.
A resident of Mungari village Vinit Tiwari said, farmers in his area and the surroundings were worried since last 20 days as there was no sign of rain. “Farmers are suffering due to extreme weather conditions and sowing of crops will be impossible if rains do not arrive soon. Now, as their last resort, they have turned towards the rituals and worshipping the deities for sending rains,” he added.
“Despite the clouds often covering the sky, there are no rains. There is no other way to bring rains now and we are all praying together to please the rain god,” says another farmer Sanjeev Kumar.
