JAGATSINGHPUR: Staring at a drought-like situation due to scanty rainfall, farmers of many remote coastal villages in the district have resorted to the traditional ritual of frog dance, called ‘Benga Nacha’, to appease the Rain God.

As per the age-old tradition, the croaking sound made by the frog during the ritual appeases Rain God ‘Indra’. The tradition is being carried out in villages since hundreds of years.

Babaji Swain of Tiruna village under Naugaon block said farmers and migrant returnees, who are struggling to eke out a living due to Covid-19 pandemic, performed the frog dance ritual to open up the skies. “We catch frogs from the locality, bathe them with turmeric water and smear vermilion on their bodies. The frog are then tied. It is believed the croaking sound of the frogs ushers in rainfall,” he informed.

Due to lack of adequate rain, cracks have appeared on paddy fields. Another villager Prasanna Beura said, “Many farmers had sown paddy by availing hand loans. But due to scanty rainfall, the crops have been damaged. Hence, we resorted to the frog dance ritual with a hope of receiving proper rain.” He further said the villagers followed the Covid-19 rules during the ritual.

Many farmers have not been able to start agriculture activities during the kharif season due to lack of rain. As the water bodies have dried up, a drought-like situation looms large. Besides, crops of many farmers have withered. Sources said the worst-hit are Kujang, Naugaon, Balikuda, Tirtol, Biridi and Erasama which are rain-fed areas.

Apart from farmers, migrant returnees are also bearing the brunt of deficit rainfall. Sources said nearly 20,000 migrant workers, who returned to the district from different states due to the pandemic, are unable to find any work. Since agriculture activities pick up pace between June and September, the returnees had hoped to eke out a living by working in paddy fields.