Naked girls procession for rains .. Women bhajans behind them!

A wild incident in which girls paraded naked in the streets praying to God Varuna for rains has come to light in Madhya Pradesh. The incident, which took place on Sunday in Bania village in Damoh district of Bundelkhand region, is a reflection of the current superstitions. The villagers of Bania follow a ritual to please the god Varuna when the rains hit the face and drought conditions arise. Women perform bhajans by stripping girls naked, placing a stick tied to a frog on their shoulders and swinging it in the streets.

The videos, taken while six girls were seen circling naked on Sunday, caused a stir. The National Commission for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (NCPCR) responded. District officials were ordered to submit a report on the incident. Damoh district SP DR Theniwar said police had received information about a naked procession of girls praying for rain to fall. He said an investigation into the incident was ongoing and action would be taken against those responsible.

Damoh District Collector Krishna Chaitanya said local authorities would submit a report on the incident as per the NCPCR directives. They said that the parents of the girls were involved in this barbaric act and they were aware of the superstition. He said no villager had complained to them about the incident. He said that in such cases, the authorities can make the villagers aware of the superstitions and let them know that these measures are not giving the expected results.

The video shows clipping girls wearing naked frogs on their shoulders and walking next to each other as some women perform bhajans behind them. A woman told a video recorder that the rains or the crops were drying up and that Varuna was doing this for God’s mercy. During the procession, rice is collected from the villagers and cooked at the local temple.