Two Minor Girls Married to Frogs in India
Two seven year old girls were ‘married’ to frogs at an annual Pongal (harvest) festival in the remote village of Pallipudupet in India while villagers threw themselves into the ceremonies with gusto.
Residents living in the western part of the village represented relatives of the brides’ and others from the eastern part play-acted as relatives of the grooms.
Traditional elements of a wedding finished off with a sumptuous feast was conducted ‘to prevent the outbreak of mysterious diseases in the village’ according to an elderly woman resident.
‘Brides’ Vigneswari and Masiakanni were dressed in traditional wedding finery of gilded sarees and adorned with gold jewellery while the frogs went for the ‘native natural’ look and tied to long sticks decorated with garlands.
Hundreds of villagers attending the two separate ceremonies and chanted hymns while the temple priests tied and garlanded the brides’ and magalsutras (auspicious thread) on behalf of the frogs.
The frogs were then thrown back into temple pond after the ceremony and the girls went back to lead a normal life.
Poor frogs never got a chance to be kissed either I bet!
Author - Pauline
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