Women Around The Country Hold Coronavirus Pujas To Please The Coronavirus Goddess. We Don’t Know What To Say
Congratulations everyone, we have officially overtaken many, many countries and reached the number 5 spot on the ‘world’s worst coronavirus hit countries’ list. Now, I know you’re thinking that this isn’t something to celebrate and it’s not a race that we are winning. I get that but I am not sure that a lot of people do. You see, India has been easing the lockdown which is what our economy requires right now but there is no doubt that it has only made things worse. And the reason for that is simple, people are acting as if this ease in the lockdown means coronavirus has magically vanished. What they don’t realise is that we have to be more careful now than ever.
I know that 2020 has been no joke and we would all prefer to just hibernate for the rest of the year. In reality, the coronavirus is like that house guest that won’t leave no matter how many hints you drop. Well, the truth is that it won’t truly go away until scientists can find a cure and a vaccine against the coronavirus. That is the only way we will be able to breathe easily again (quite literally). Or, is it?
You see, Indians have a strong faith in God and apparently everything that is out of our control suddenly turns into a god or a goddess, but you already knew that. So, it was only a matter of time before that happened with the deadly coronavirus. Yep, people all around the country have now deemed that the killer virus on the loose is actually a goddess and the only way to be rid of the pandemic is to please her.
Also Read: Sex Workers Are Displaced, Starving And Facing A Dearth Of Healthcare Amidst The Pandemic. Their Future Remains Precarious
At a time when temples are closed in the wake of the pandemic, a group of women have dubbed the Covid-19 virus a goddess who must be placated and decided to pay obeisance through special puja.https://t.co/JerWeowCes
— The Telegraph (@ttindia) June 7, 2020
On Saturday, in the Biswanth district of Assam, some women started doing a “Corona Devi Puja” by the banks of a river. They claimed that the virus would vanish from Earth if they pleased “Corona Devi” through their prayers.
A woman who was part of this puja said, “We are offering puja to Corona Maa. Once the puja gets over, a wind will blow and destroy the virus.” Another woman said, “We are here to pray for everyone so that the virus disappears from the world”.
Forgive me, I don’t mean to step on anyone’s faith but what is wrong with people? First cow urine, now this. No, actually it makes sense, what problem can’t be solved by offering it flowers and asking it nicely go away? This sounds like the plot of a horrible fan fiction novel, I can’t believe people think it to be true.
It gets better though, people believe that COVID 19 is actually a creation of goddess “Shitala”. Apparently, she is to be blamed for a lot of infectious diseases like smallpox. And if we want relief, we must please her. First of all, these guys just assumed it’s a woman causing all this chaos? That’s stereotypical.
Also Read: The Bihar Government Is Distributing Condoms To Migrant Workers. Pandemic Babies Might Be The Next Worry
How beautiful people, Praising pooja for #CoronaMai pic.twitter.com/rQeI3hfdyJ
— Swalih Kannoth (@swalihkannoth) June 7, 2020
Anyway, Assam is not the only state that witnessed these “pujas”. Though each state has its own superstitious philosophy, parts of Jharkhand and Bihar also had women offering their prayers to “Corona Devi” or “Corona Mai”.
In Jharkhand, women dig a small hole in an open field and put sweets, incense sticks, flowers, cloves and several other items in an attempt to please the apparent goddess. There were also chants like “Corona mata ki Jai” and “Jai Corona Mai” that echoed.
In Jharkhand, transgender women performed a puja to please corona mai. They claimed that the Goddess had come in their dreams and asked them to do this. Meanwhile, in a different part of the state, 250 women gathered on the banks of the Baanki River in Bodra village to perform symbolic pujas. Interestingly, these women brought their Aadhar cards and their passbooks along since they expected a monetary relief if they succeed in warding off the virus.
Also, I would just like to mention that these women who were offering prayers did not observe social distancing, nor were they wearing protective masks. I don’t know how they think some stroke of magic is going to cure corona all because they “pleased the goddess”, but they definitely made things a little worse.
Puja to appease 'Corona Mai:' Over a dozen transgenders performed a special puja to ward off #COVID19 in Jharkhand's Dhanbad. @Mukesh_TNIE https://t.co/DgdrX1JQR9
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 5, 2020
I understand that in time of difficulty, we usually turn to God but this is madness. No one knows the source of this pandemic but I can bet you my life and a crore that it’s not because “corona Devi” is pissed off at humanity. And what’s next, temples dedicated to COVID 19 with little idols of the virus?
This pure superstition is fuelled by fear. But, this spreads a lot of ignorance about what is actually happening. And I don’t want to get into the whole divine v/s scientific debate, but it’s highly improbable that digging a hole in the ground is going to cure millions of people who are suffering.
Is it only me or do you find this a tad amusing as well?
https://thehauterfly.com/lifestyle/akshay-kumar-is-asking-people-to-donate-sanitary-napkins-to-underprivileged-women-so-he-really-is-padman/
