Bilasipara (Assam): Inspired by the legend of 'Behula-Lakhindar', residents of Bilasipara in Dhubri district, chose to set afloat a five-year-old snake bite victim on Brahmaputra river in the hope that she would be revived by a snake charmer.
The act, which has been reported as the first-of-its-kind incident in the region, stems from the story behind the legend of Behula-Lakhindar, which states that anyone who dies from a snakebite would be set afloat in a raft, in the hopes that an expert snake charmer would notice and bring the dead back to life.
The girl identified as Puja Nath is reportedly the first person to be a part of the age-old custom.
Puja was listening to songs when a poisonous snake bit her on Friday.
As soon her parents learned about the snakebite, they called in an occultist who tried to cure her.
Though Puja appeared to have been cured of the poison (for some time), her health condition deteriorated soon after.
She was then rushed to a nearby hospital on Sunday, where the doctors declared her dead.
However, her dear ones, who could not accept her death, followed the legend of Behula-Lakhindar.
The villagers then prepared a raft, washed Puja's body, performed the rituals, only to drift her body in the river and not to cremate her.
They also fastened her address along with the well-decorated raft, in the hope that if she comes back to life, she can be sent home.
"The doctors said that we were late in taking her to the hospital. What could we have done! Even after she was declared dead, we tried to revive her with the help of many occultists," said the father of the deceased girl.
"Finally, we decided to just follow the legend of Behula-Lakhindar. We set her afloat in the Brahmaputra, hoping that she will come back to us someday," he added.
Legend of Behula-Lakhindar
- There lived a rich merchant named Chand Shoudagar who was blessed with six sons.
- Chand was a devout worshiper of Shiva
- Manasa, a daughter of Shiva, was determined to have Chand as her worshipper
- She ordered Chand to worship to her, but he did not comply
- In retribution, Manasa killed all his sons by snakebites and destroyed his properties.
- However, Chand rebuilt his fortunes, remarried and had a son named Lakhindar
- Chand sought a suitable bride for Lakhindar, named Behula
- Manasa, who had not yet given up her resolve to subdue Chand, heard of the wedding and approached Chand with the same proposal. Chand refused, again.
- Manasa threatened to kill Lakhindar by snakebite on his wedding night
- On their wedding night, in spite of all protection and care taken up by Chand to save his son, a snake bit Lakhinder and he died.
- It was a custom to place the deceased who died from a snakebite onto a raft in the hopes that an expert snake charmer would notice and bring the dead back to life. The same was followed.
- Behula accompanied her husband and vowed to return only after he gained life again.
- Behula, after days of struggle, was led to the house of gods and goddesses
- Behula had to satisfy the gods by dancing in front of them to get back her husband’s life. But, the final condition was that Behula had to convince Chand to offer worship to Manasa
- Chand, faced with the chance to bring back his beloved son threw a flower at the effigy of Manasa with his left hand in disdain. Manasa, pleased even with this, revived Lakhindar and Chand’s other six sons and returned all his previously lost wealth.
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