In the midst of the ongoing water crisis in the coastal districts of Karnataka, superstitious practices by people desperate for rain are flourishing. In Udupi, residents got two frogs married to each other to ‘appease god Varuna’. The ‘Manduka Kalyanostsava’ (wedding of the frogs) of frog-groom Varuna from Kalsanka, and frog-bride Varsha from Kolagiri, was hosted at a hotel in Udupi on Saturday.

Organised by Udupi Nagarika Vedike and Pancharatna Trust, the wedding invite of the prospective couple referred to them as Chi. Varuna, son of Kalsanka, and Sou Varsha, daughter of Kolalgiri Kilinje. The wedding procession that started off from Maruthi Veethika, brought the ‘couple’ in a cage, on a decorated cycle rickshaw. The procession passed the KEB Office Mitra Hospital, proceeding towards Old Diana Circle, and arrived at Kediyoor Hotel.

The wedding was hosted at 12.05 pm on the weekend at Simha Lagna muhurtha, with over 50 people in attendance. The organisers felt that Lord Varuna, according to the Hindu mythology is the authority over sea and rains, and the wedding was held to appease the deity to receive monsoon shower.

Speaking to the media, Nityananda Volakadu, secretary of Udupi Nagarika Vedike, said that the wedding was organised to solve the dire water crisis in the district. Under the pretext of ‘appeasing the rain god’, the former CMC councillor from Udupi Nithyananda has also conducted frog weddings in 2008, frog baby shower (seemantha) in 2009, and hosted a cradling ceremony for six frogs in 2012 – naming all of them ‘Maleraya’.

Facing severe water shortage in the absence of pre-monsoon shower, District Authorities have administered water-rationing in Udupi since the beginning of April – water supplied once in three days in the district. The depleting water level of Baje reservoir on Swarna river has already affected the lives of the local residents, including educational institutions.

Read: To appease rain gods, Bengaluru priests sit in water-filled vessels with phones

Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)