Guwahati, (Samajweekly) After Jharkahand, some women in Assam now started worshiping the deadly novel coronavirus as a “goddess” in a bid to to get rid of the devastating disease.
A large number of women in different districts of Assam, for the past few days, worshipped the fatal virus as a “goddess” or “Corona Maa” even as the scientists, experts and doctors across the world are on an all round war against Covid-19 and engaged in developing vaccines and medicines.
Many people, mostly women, are now performing “Corona Devi Puja” in Assam. They believe that it is the only way to put an end of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
From Biswanath Chariali to Darrang district and even in Assam’s main city of Guwahati, women, in some places accompanied by men too, have been performing “Corona Devi Puja” on the bank of the rivers or in temples and under big trees.
In order to please “Corona Maa”, some women in Biswanath district of northern Assam, after day-long fasting, prayed to “Corona Maa”, claiming that they believe if the “Corona God” is satisfied with their “puja”, the frightful disease would be eliminated.
Last week, a large number of women gathered in different places of Jharkahand along with puja materials like sindoor (vermilion), flowers, ladoos and water in pots. The women sat under the trees and worshipped the “Coronavirus goddess”
Reacting to the performance of “Corina Devi Puja”, an Assam Health Department official said that they have to intensify their awareness campaign against such superstitious beliefs. Besides the Health Department, police and social welfare departments and many NGOs in Assam are conducting awareness programme against the Covid-19 pandemic.
With 92 fresh cases on Sunday, Assam’s coronavirus tally climbed to 2,565 with 1,943 of them active cases.
