Woman grows hair, nails to appease deity

For almost a decade, a 50-year-old woman in Orissa has neither clipped her nails nor trimmed her hair for fear of angering a deity who she believes will cure her of her ailments.

For almost a decade, a 50-year-old woman in Orissa has neither clipped her nails nor trimmed her hair for fear of angering a deity who she believes will cure her of her ailments.

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Raimani Nil has even made her 12-year-old son Biju grow his hair and nails.

Superstition has become a way of life among tribal villagers of Randikana in the southern district of Raigada since a witch doctor, Mani Yaka, told them to keep away from medicines and physicians or invite the wrath of the local deity, leading to an early death, said D. Jagannath, a local administrative officer.

Till then, villagers had consulted doctors at the local government-run health centre and even took medicines, the official said.

Following Mani Yaka's advice, the villagers even refused to touch sick people.

At least five of the 16 families in Randikana have refused to avail of benefits at healthcare facilities.