Andhra Pradesh villagers stage frog wedding to invoke Varuna
India
In Borampalli, Andhra Pradesh, locals held a "frog wedding" on July 19 to ask for rain from Varuna, the Hindu god of rain.
With monsoon delays drying up their fields and threatening crops, villagers dressed two frogs in turmeric and saffron, performed a marriage ceremony, and hoped their efforts would bring much-needed rainfall.
Villagers held procession with water prayers
After the wedding, everyone joined a lively procession with drums, chants, and water sprinkling in symbolic prayers for rain.
The day included another ritual featuring a donkey. Organizers made sure the frogs were released unharmed back into their natural habitat.
As one farmer put it, "our crops are drying up due to the lack of rainfall," showing just how much the community came together during tough times.