In want of a child, women 'search' for betel nuts in Odisha hot spring

Hundreds of devotees thronged the hot spring at Atri in Odisha's Khurda district to take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sakranti. A large number of women were among the crowd, frantically searching for betel nuts in the spring. According to popular belief, if barren women search for betel nuts in the holy spring with a vow, Lord Hatakeswar, the presiding deity here would bless them with a child within a year. There also exists a strong belief that if a dip in the spring, can cure one of various skin diseases.