With monsoon playing truant in the region, a group of women in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district performed a ritual by soaking local MLA and Nagar Palika chairman in a mud tub to please rain god 'Indra'.
It is an age-old belief of the region that a mud bath to the head of the city pleases rain god who brings rain to the region. The women of Pipardeura area in Maharajganj also sang while giving a mud bath to BJP MLA Jaimangal Kanojiya and Nagar Palika chairman Krishna Gopal Jaiswal.
"It is a belief that a mud bath to the head of the city pleases Indra Dev. The deficient rainfall will affect the paddy yield," one of the women, Munni Devi, said.
"It is also believed that to please Indra Dev, children take bath in mud and locally it is known as Kal Kalouti," she added.
MLA Kanojiya and Nagar Palika chairman Jaiswal were happy to take a mud bath for rain.
"People are restless due to scorching heat and it is an age-old tradition to give a mud bath to please Indra Dev. The women of the city gave us mud bath for rain," Mr Kanojiya said.
Mr Jaiswal said that with a drought-like situation is in front of us, the women only followed the age-old tradition of the region to please the rain god.
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