Good god! villagers worship pumpkins in Orissa
By IANSTuesday, February 16, 2010
BHUBANESWAR - God is everywhere. Why, according to farmers in an Orissa village He’s present even in a pumpkin.
The villagers of Gadabadaput village in Khurdha district, about 45 km from here, started worshiping three pumpkins after one of the farmers found marks on the pumpkins which seemed to depict the Hindu deities - Jagannnath, Balabhadra and Subhadra.
According to the pumpkin farmer, all the three pumpkins were on a single creeper.
“All the three pumpkins were on a single branch of the pumpkin creeper. They have clear marks similar to Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadrra. So, we are worshiping them,” said Daliram Harichandan, the farmer.
Since the find, hundreds of villagers have started worshiping the pumpkins, smearing them with vermillion, and have also been singing bhajans (devotional songs). Villagers from neighbouring villages are also thronging to see the pumpkins.
“A similar incident had happened earlier too. But I sold the pumpkins. It has reappeared,” said Gadadhar Mangaraj, a villager.
The villagers are planning to donate these pumpkins to Jagannath temple in Puri.
