Chikkamagaluru: Villagers in Chennihalli, Kadur taluk, performed a traditional frog wedding on Sunday to pray for rain as tanks ran dry and crops withered amid below-normal October rainfall in Chikkamagaluru district.‘Manduka Parinaya’ was organised to appease Varuna, the god of rain. Villagers had caught a male and female frog in a nearby paddy field on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning, the frogs were bathed, smeared with turmeric and vermilion, and dressed in tiny outfits stitched by village women. A local priest solemnised the marriage according to Hindu customs, chanting mantras as garlands were exchanged.The frogs were then carried in a procession through Chennihalli’s main streets, accompanied by drums, a band and dancing villagers. They were released into the village lake with prayers.Villagers believe frogs’ croaking signals the monsoon and that their union pleases the rain gods. “We treat frogs as god. Our ancestors used to offer puja to frogs regularly, but for the last 15 years we did not offer puja or perform marriage. Now we are doing it for good rain,” said Krishna Naik, a farmer.Another farmer said ragi, jowar and arecanut crops were withering and Kadur’s lakes were half empty.Dozens of villagers, including women and children, joined the ceremony and offered special pujas for a bountiful monsoon. Devaraj Naik, a villager, said Chennihalli had nearly 200 houses. Residents collected food grains from every household, prepared food and served it during the wedding.Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre officials said Chikkamagaluru district had recorded below-normal rainfall this Oct, with Kadur and Ajjampura hoblis worst affected.India Meteorological Department has forecast light to moderate rain in Malnad region over the next two to three days.
