Udupi: The Udupi Nagarika Vedike, on Saturday, June 8, married a male and female frog in a wedding ceremony in a bid to appease the rain gods.
It can be recalled that the water levels in the Baje dam, from where the Udupi city receives its water supply, is reducing by the day and the monsoons have not yet hit the state.
The wedding was held at 12.05 PM on Saturday and was organised by Nityananda Volakadu, former councillor and social worker, Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samiti, and Pancharatna Seva Trust.
The ritual began by getting a hold of a male and a female frog from two villages. The frogs were dressed in custom-made outfits and married as per the Hindu rituals, a ceremony that was attended by hundreds of people. They were sent off on their honeymoon to Mannapalla near Manipal.
The invitation to the wedding read “Chi. Varun, son of Kalsank, with Chi. Sou. Varsha, daughter of Kolalgiri Kilinje. The wedding party will come in a procession from Maruthi Veethika, pass through KEB Office, Mitra Hospital, Old Diana Circle, and culminate at Kediyoor Hotel here.
“To solve the massive water scarcity in Udupi district, prayers would be offered to the rain god, Sri Varuna, along with wedding of frogs (‘manduka kalyanotsava’). This episode will take place at Hotel Kediyoor in Udupi.”
This is the second time that this kind of ceremony has been performed under the guidance of Udupi Nagarika Vedike president Nityananda Volakad.
