Mayurbhanj (Odisha): Deeply superstitious people in rural India stick to their old rituals so much so that sometimes they go on to organise weddings of their children to animals, believing it can ward off certain curses!
Such a scene was witnessed at Baria village under Sukuli block in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district where few families married their children to stray dogs in order to get over bad omen.
There is a tradition among the tribal community here that after a child is born, if the first tooth comes out in the upper jaw, it is considered a bad sign.
In order to get over this evil omen, children were dressed like brides, grooms and taken round the village before being married to dogs.
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According to sources, on a single day, three such marriages were solemnised at Baria village where two male children were seen married to two female dogs while a girl child was made to tie the knot with a male dog.
Arrangements of dances and music parties were also made after the marriage ceremony and even the chairperson of Sukuli block had involved himself in the entire ceremony, added sources.
The tribal ritual, indigenous to the community, has come into limelight turning into a point of debate whether these rituals are relevant anymore in the present society.
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