Traditional Indian Marriage..to Frogs???

Two seven year old girls namely, Vigneswari and Masiakanni, as a part of a centuries-old tradition called "Pongal", dressed in sarees, typical Indian bridal-wear, got married to a couple of frogs in their remote village in Tamil Nadu.

With gold jewellery and a lavish twin wedding ceremony, the marriages were conducted in conjunction with the harvesting tradition. Apparently, this is believed to preclude strange illnesses and sicknesses.

Many villagers, all over from Pallipudpet, witnessed this event. A Hindu clergyman chanted prayers, as the 'grooms' were tied to long sticks decorated with flowers, and bride's hands were tied to his. This was on behalf of the frogs. He pronunced them frogs and wives. The event took place before a ceremonious fire. After the marriage, the frogs were thrown back to the muddy pond.

The story of Hindu Deity Shiva is the inspiration behind the wedding. The story goes that Shiva had turned himself into a frog after an argument with his wife, Parvati, who cried for days causing illnesses to spread across the village. Villagers pleaded for help, so she sent them to search for him across the villages and when found, beg him to marry a young girl. Parvati posed as the girl, and when Shiva agreed to marry her, they returned to their Deity avatars, and illnesses spreading around was cured.

"The criteria to choose the brides is they should be yet to attain puberty. The parents of girls voluntarily provide their children for the ritual. Sometimes the girls are forced by parents, who get a sense of fulfilment to save the village from diseases. The main cause is illiteracy and lack of exposure," said Tamil commentator Dominic Bosco.

The Indian Government has been trying to tackle the issue of illegal child marriages since a long time. It has been a root of embarrassment. This custom of child marriage is just another instance. The government has ordered a probe into the practice. A team of psychologists, sociologists and religious leaders have been dispatched to the village to sway the villagers to give up the illiterate tradition.

Source: The Telegraph