Inhabitants of a small Indian village
believe that smearing the dung on their young sons and daughters help to
give them a healthy life free from ailments.
Children being dragged in the mud
Inhabitants of the tiny village of
Betul in Madhya Pradesh have a really bizarre custom dating back
centuries. They dip their children in cow dung in the belief that the
'purity' of the cow dung will bring their children luck and protect them
from disease.
The practice is followed a day after
Diwali - the biggest Indian celebration, also known as the festival of
lights. In the weeks preceding Diwali, people in the village collect cow
dung and store it in huge piles.
A special prayer is offered to the
Hindu Gods on the day of the celebration before people start dipping
their children, some still babies, in the pool of dung.
Villagers gather in groups around the
dung waiting their turn to dip their children in, it continues from dusk till dawn till every child in the village has a go.
dung waiting their turn to dip their children in, it continues from dusk till dawn till every child in the village has a go.
According to them, their children have
benefited from the centuries old ritual . The cow is considered one of
the most sacred animals in Hinduism and they are worshipped as revered
creatures.
Many Hindu preachers believe that cow
urine and dung have medicinal properties. Meanwhile cow slaughter and
the consumption of beef is banned in certain parts of India.
0 comments:
Post a Comment