Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh): At the time when it is raining heavily in most parts of Madhya Pradesh, some western districts are barely receiving any showers. To invoke the blessings of the rain gods, a unique and ancient tradition is being followed in Mandsaur, where villagers are feeding gulab jamuns to donkeys. The locals believe feeding the donkeys will end the drought spell in their region.
Traditional Practices Across Madhya Pradesh
In many parts of state, people are using old traditions to ask the rain god for help. In Dhar, farmers did special prayers called ‘Kakad’ puja and organized big feasts, hoping for a better monsoon. Villages like Jajmkhedi, Gulati, Kuradakhal, Dedla, Borud, and Singhana also held big feasts and offered special food to please the rain god.
In Jhabua, people took out a funeral procession for a living person named Ashok to ask for rain. This was a symbolic act to show their worry about the dry spell affecting their crops. They also made the local village leader ride a donkey with his face painted black as part of the ritual.
In 2021, six young girls in Damoh district were paraded naked as part of a ritual to bring rain. This act drew attention from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. In Ujjain, villagers tried different ways to make Lord Indra happy, hoping to save their soybean crops from bad weather.
These rituals show that people in Madhya Pradesh still believe in traditional ways to change the weather. Despite modern science, these practices highlight their hope and determination to bring rain and ensure good crops.
