The coronavirus outbreak has affected many countries around the world and many people are turning to various ways to combat the pandemic.
Last month, Indian media last reported of a group of women from a village in West Bengal who had decided to fight the coronavirus in their own way – by worshiping Corona Mai, or ‘Corona Goddess’.
The women set up a small shrine and started singing songs and mantras, burning incense, and bringing offerings like fruits, vegetables, ghee, and jaggery.
Speaking about the shrine located on the banks of Chinnamasta pond, near Asansol city, the women said that they planned to worship and pray to the goddess until she takes away the coronavirus.
“We hope that Corona devi ensures that the virus leaves us forever,” a 23-year-old worshipper told The Hindu. “Our offerings and chants will win us some respite from the virus.”
Those worshipping the Corona Goddess are majorly women in their early 20s to old ladies in their 70s, and they all believe that the best way to help fight the pandemic is to pray to the goddess until she decides to take the coronavirus away.
“We have decided to worship Corona devi every Monday and Friday till she becomes satisfied,” a 56-year-old woman said.
These women are not the only ones who believe that worshipping Corona Goddess is a possible way of ending the pandemic.
A man identified as Anilan Muhoortham from the town of Kadakkal also set up his own temple of worship.
Unlike the women who have a small outdoor shrine, the Kerala man is following Hindu traditions, which promote seeing a god in every molecule around us.
He worships coronavirus as a goddess.
“I have established this temple for Goddess Coronavirus in accordance with the constitutional freedom to worship. Goddess Coronavirus is being worshiped here,” the Kerala man said. “I dedicate the temple to those health workers, scientists trying to find vaccines, police-fire & rescue officers, other media personnel, journalists and expatriates reporting the information in real-time.”
Anilan is obeying the social distancing rules, so whoever wants to make an offering to the Goddess Coronavirus via his home temple can do so by courier or post. Or they can just call him to have the prasad delivered.
Source: TheGuardian
