In Bellary, the living play dead for 3 days; here’s why

Mangalore Today News Network

Bellary, September 17, 2016: At a time when Karnataka government is planning for an Anti-Superstition bill and even contemplating to ban astrology shows on television, there’s news of a peculiar superstitious practice followed in Bhimasamudra village of Bellary district in Karnataka to impress rain gods.

 

A married old man who is alive is carried like a dead body and the villagers follow all the rituals (Hindu Ritual) which is usually performed for a dead body during funeral.

The man, though alive, will be taken in a procession like a dead body in a chariot in the village. After that he will be taken to graveyard keep him in the graveyard pit.

The villagers return after burying the man.  Interestingly, the man who is in the pit alive comes out, goes to a pond take bath. He returns to the village after one or two hours of the last rites.

RITUAL FOLLOWED FOR THREE DAYS

By following this superstitious ritual for three days continuously, villagers believe that they will impress the rain gods who will bless them.

"When there is delay in rain for two or three months, people in our village will be talking to each about the need to use someone as dead body, do all the rituals to impress the rain gods.
So we will ask everybody to volunteer for this ritual," said A T Bheemanna, one of the villagers.

"If someone agrees to come forward, we will dress him as a dead body, do all kinds of rituals followed in Hindu religion. After that will take him on a procession in the village. We do this for three days. We go to graveyard and come back to the village. That’s it," he added.

The authorities are taking measures to ensure such practices are kept under check in the state.

"Yes we are mulling over the anti superstition bill. Still a long way to go. We are against those practices that degrade humanity," KPCC Working President, Dinesh Gundurao.