Karnataka: Newborns and mothers isolated from village over fears of a bad omen

Fear of divine retribution and superstitious beliefs have led villagers in Karnataka's Devaradoddi hamlet to force postpartum and menstruating women to live under huts and shacks outside the village.

Ramanagara (Karnataka):Even though the modern world has witnessed a lot of progress, people still tend to believe in superstitions. One such example of this is Devaradoddi village in Ramanagar taluk of Karnataka, wherein a 20-day-old baby and a nursing mother were isolated from the village over fears of a bad omen.

For generations' the fear of divine retribution and superstitious beliefs have led villagers in Karnataka's Devaradoddi hamlet to force postpartum and menstruating women to live under huts and shacks outside the village.

Here women and their newborns are forced to stay out of the village for up to 20 days, in honour of God Srirangappa. The villagers believe that violating the rule may bring a bad omen to the village.

There are around 100 to 139 houses in this village, which is around 45 km from Karnataka's capital city of Bengaluru.