Donkeys Fed Gulab Jamuns In Ritual To Invoke Rain As 35 MP Districts Face Deficit

Participants said the ritual was performed to appease Lord Indra, the Hindu deity associated with rain, and included special prayers seeking good showers across the state.

The ceremony was held around 11 am on Kolar Road.

Source : pexels

In an unusual ritual aimed at invoking rainfall, donkeys were fed gulab jamuns in Bhopal on Saturday as residents prayed for a stronger monsoon in Madhya Pradesh, where 35 districts have so far recorded below-normal rainfall.

The ceremony was held around 11 am on Kolar Road. Participants said the ritual was performed to appease Lord Indra, the Hindu deity associated with rain, and included special prayers seeking good showers across the state.

Despite the ceremony, Bhopal itself has received abundant rainfall this season. According to senior meteorologist S.N. Sahu from the India Meteorological Department's Bhopal office, the city has recorded 400.3 mm of rain since the onset of the monsoon, which is 44 per cent above the normal level for this period. Sahu said Madhya Pradesh is likely to witness a fresh spell of rainfall beginning Sunday.

However, official figures show that rainfall has remained below normal in 35 districts across the state.

The districts include Chhindwara, Damoh, Dindori, Jabalpur, Katni, Maihar, Mandla, Mauganj, Narsinghpur, Pandhurna, Panna, Rewa, Sagar, Satna, Seoni, Shahdol, Sidhi, Singrauli, Tikamgarh, Umaria, Alirajpur, Barwani, Betul, Datia, Dhar, Jhabua, Morena, Narmadapuram, Raisen, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Anuppur, Balaghat, Chhatarpur and Vidisha.

Authorities are hopeful that the forecast wet spell will help improve the rainfall deficit in these regions.