Nagaratna Harikant

StoryInfinity for Daijiworld.com

Belagavi, Jun 22: In the backdrop of monsoon not showing-up in Belagavi this season, in a unique ritual, local residents have resorted to the tradition of ‘Jaladig-Bhandana’ (drowning) of the idol of Lord Surya Narayana.

While recently, an Udupi-based social worker undertook the wedding of the ‘frogs’ to invoke monsoon, about 30-kms from Belagavi city, in a small town of MK Hubli village in Kittur taluk, residents who are aggrieved that the rains have still have not arrived in the region, have resorted to a yesteryear ritual.

At the historic Suryanarayana temple, the locals have filled the temple sanctum sanctorum with water, with the idol of Lord Surya Narayana in the middle and locked the door in a tradition called Jaladig-Bhandana.

According to the local popular belief, the reason to perform Jaladig-Bhandana is to impress God, who will in turn be appeased and bless the region with rain within seven days. “This is a very old practice ongoing for years and there are numerous examples when God was subjected to water restriction and only then it rained,” the temple priest Basappa Ganachari said.

Unfortunately for the residents, the rain has been delayed beyond the date which was stipulated by the regional departmental authorities. “Local officials told us that it will rain after May 15. It’s over a month now since the deadline has passed and still it has not rained. Hence on local consensus, we had to undertake this ritual,” Sanjeeva Tilagannaver, resident of MK Hubli said.

A former village, about three-years ago M K Hubli was notified as a town, for the population of 16,000, largely dependent on agriculture. The drying up of Malaprabha River during the summer has become a major concern both for their livelihood and daily utility. “As a believer, I and my family are hopeful that the ritual will work and it will rain soon, so that we are able to swiftly tend to our agriculture and farm animals. The animals are real sufferers of the scanty rainfall,” Mahantesh, a local resident said.

Early morning on June 18, the devotees gathered in front of the temple, brought water from the adjacent tube-well and poured it into the sanctum sanctorum, wherein the idol was placed in the centre. Invoking the blessings of the gods and our forefathers, we vowed not to open the temple door until it rained.

However, according to the temple priest, this is not the first time the ritual is being performed. About three years ago, the worshipers had confined the God in a similar fashion and it rained heavily on the fifth day, the temple priest Ganachari recollected.

“We agree for outsiders the tradition maybe a bit strange and we ourselves find it a bit strange. However, without rains we and our farm animals are doomed and that’s why we now calling upon monsoons by ‘punishing’ God.” Mahantesh said.