Drought in India has resulted in tens of millions of deaths over centuries. Indian agriculture is heavily dependent on the country’s climate. A favorable southwest summer monsoon is critical to securing water for irrigating India’s crops. As a result, the failure of the monsoons causes water shortages, resulting in below-average crop yields. This is particularly seen in the major drought-prone regions such as southern and eastern Maharashtra, northern Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Telangana, and Rajasthan.
In the past, droughts have periodically led to major Indian famines. In the 1770’s Bengal famine, up to one-third of the population in affected areas died. Subsequently, in the 1876–1877 famine, there were over five million deaths; and in the 1899 famine, over 4.5 million died. Likewise, the 1972 Maharashtra drought-affected 2.5 crore people. To date, many farmers commit suicide due to the shortage of rainfall causing drought.
This dependence has given rise to numerous rituals, from hanging on hooks to stripping naked to please the rain gods to bring abundant showers.
Even today, some prefer participating in a frog dance to ensure enough rain for the season. All in the hope of luring some larger force, driven by deep-seated socio-cultural superstitions that give people hope and a sense of control over matters that are out of their hands.
Amongst these beliefs is Frog Wedding, popularly known as Bhekulir Biya, Mandooka Parinaya, Banger Biye in various parts of India.
Bhekuli Biya or Banger Biye
In Assamese, ‘Bhekuli’ means frog and ‘Biya’ stands for marriage. Likewise, in North East India’s Tripura, it’s called Banger Biye(Bang – Frog, Biye – Wedding).
According to the people of Assam, their ancestors have a poem which states that the farmers pray to the clouds and ask them why there is no rain? Then the clouds reply that if the frogs do not croak, then why will it rain? Monsoon is the mating season of the frogs. Hence if the frog croaks and calls his mate, then it rains. That’s how the croaking of the frog is associated with the rain.
Eastern India has large stretches of paddy fields that require a lot of irrigation. So, when it doesn’t rain for a long time, the villagers arrange a frog wedding to end the drought.
The wedding ceremony has rituals of a traditional Indian wedding in which a female frog is made to sit and oil is applied to her body. After that, the frog is left for some time and is bathed in water, and is dressed for her D-day. Meanwhile, the groom and its baarati (the guests from the groom’s side) arrive and dance to celebrate the wedding, and then the marriage is commenced. Later on, the couple is left in the pond as these amphibians live in the water, and then people pray for them to croak to God for the rainfall. A mass village feast, music, and dance are also part of this ritual.
Mandooka Parinaya
Just like Bhekuli Biya, Mandooka Parinaya is a Hindu wedding ceremony of two frogs performed in Southern India, which is performed in the belief that the marriage will appease the Hindu rain-god Indra, who will then increase in rains in the area. Mandooka means frog, and Parinaya means wedding.
In this ritual, a male and female frog is chosen by the villagers and christened Varuna (the God of water), and Varsha (which means rain) respectively. Then they are similarly bathed with Haldi and dressed in custom-made outfits and the female frog is given a toe ring, something that Hindu brides are made to do to indicate they are married and to regulate their menstrual cycle, and maximize chances of conception. At some weddings, she is even made to wear a Mangalsutra. Amongst the procedures, a volunteer sings ‘aarathis’ or melodic prayers, and the two frogs are wedded in a festive atmosphere. Several guests are invited to offer prayers to the rain god for a downpour. The ceremony is followed by a feast after which the frogs are sent on a “honeymoon” in a water body.
Likewise, frog weddings are separately named and observed in several parts of India to bring rain.
As per reports, tribal tea garden workers from western Tripura recently conducted the frog wedding.
If this didn’t sound strange enough, let us tell you about another incident. In Bhopal, two frogs were reported divorced two months after their wedding as there was excessive rainfall.
India is truly incredible. Isn’t it?