THERE have been reports of people marrying off frogs to appease the rain gods but have you heard of the frogs being divorced to stop the rains? This happened in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, India, nearly two months after two frogs were married off in a grand ceremony to invoke rain gods.

The frogs were wedded July 19 in drought-stricken Bhopal in a belief that it would please Lord Indra (Hindu god of rains) and bring rains in the region.

Madhya Pradesh minister for woman and child development Lalita Yadav said it was a “logical tradition” and not “superstition.”

However, in view of the heavy rains lashing Madhya Pradesh, the, er, “couple” had to be divorced to stop the rains.

As of Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh had received 26 percent more rainfall than normal and flood-like conditions have formed in most parts of the state. On Sunday, rains in Bhopal almost broke a 13-year-old record.

To avoid any more rains in the region, members of Om Shiv Seva Shakti Mandal of Indrapuri area symbolically divorced the frogs Wednesday evening.

During the ceremony, mantras were chanted and the frogs were separated.

The members of the Om Shiva Seva Shakti Mandal believe that the way the divorce of the frogs would bring relief to the people of Bhopal.

(SD-Agencies)