Kendrapada: In a rare ritual to invoke rain, two men ‘tied the knot’ in Jajpur district on Wednesday evening to appease supreme weather deity, Lord Indra, amid a delayed monsoon.The ceremony, held at Gamharia village under Bandala gram panchayat in Korei block, saw Jatin Khatua (29) and Kalandi Nayak (27) take part in a traditional rural wedding — with the only departure being that both were men. The ritual, locally known as Andira Bibaha, is performed during prolonged dry spells as part of folk belief.Villagers organised the event with pomp, complete with a procession, temple rituals and a community feast. Khatua was brought in a procession to Maa Sidheswari temple, where priests chanted Sanskrit shlokas before solemnising the marriage.As per custom, the two men remain a “couple” for a day and go separate ways after the ritual.Bandala sarpanch Bishnu Charan Rath said villagers decided to organise the marriage last week after monsoon rain failed to arrive. “We consulted a priest, who fixed June 18 as an auspicious date. Villagers split into groups from both ‘sides’ for the ceremony,” he said.Large numbers of villagers gathered to witness the unique event. “We hope this will bring rain and ease farmers’ distress,” said Nalini Kanta Nayak (62), a farmer.Locals said such rituals have precedence. “There are several instances of Andira Bibaha during drought years to please Lord Indra. People believe it brings rainfall,” said villager Akhil Khatua (56).With monsoon clouds yet to reach the region — which normally sees rain by the first week of June — villagers turned to the traditional practice. “It reflects rural belief systems during distress,” said Sarbeswar Das (65), a retired teacher.Heavy rain lashed the village on Wednesday night soon after the ceremony, reinforcing the community’s belief in the ritual.Legal experts, however, noted that same-sex marriage is not recognised in India. “While consensual homosexual relations are decriminalised, the Supreme Court in October 2023 held that legalising same-sex marriage is a matter for Parliament,” said lawyer Subash Nayak.
The marriage being solemnised in Jajpur
