Rainin' Frogs!

A GREAT FROGGY RAIN WEDDING

fnbworld bureau/New Delhi

Faith binds couples in marriage. This time round, the ‘froggy faith’ that their wedding would bestow rains tied them in wedlock. The exclusive wedding was performed by the rain-starved farmers in Nagpur city. The monsoon-seeking farmers organized wedding of two frogs on Saturday to appease rain gods and hoped their region would soon be blessed with the monsoon showers, says an ANI report.

People blew trumpets and sang songs, as the priest solemnized the marriage to the chanting of Hindu hymns by putting streaks of vermilion on the female toad's head.

 The toads were picked up from different ponds, following the local belief among the farmers in this part of India that a frog marriage pleases the rain gods and ensure a good harvest with rains.

 Locals hoped the marriage would help them to end the dry spell that the region is experiencing. Our forefathers believed that marriage of male and female frogs makes Lord Indra (Rain God) happy that leads to rains. You can see that it is not raining in the entire Vidarbha, eastern region of Maharashtra state made up of Nagpur divison and Amravati division that has caused a drought like division. We are following this belief of our forefathers so that Lord Indra is pleased and it rains," said Shailendra Awasthi, a participant in the marriage.

 With temperatures soaring high and monsoons playing truant in northern and western parts of the country, people are praying hard for showers.

 "It was sunny when we came in the morning for performing marriage. But now you can see the weather has changed. It means it will rain. We hope so," said Ankita Bhatia, a participant.