Thursday, July 23, 2009

Plowing the fields naked -- a sure way to bring rain?

Farmers in some western provinces and states have pretty much written off their crops owing to one of the worst droughts in memory. (Global warming again? ed.) Perhaps, before giving up, they should have consulted an Indian rainmaker. That's "Indian" as in "south Asian".

India (the country) is suffering the worst start to the vital monsoon rains in eight decades. The heat and drought in some states is worse than that in North America. But farmers there have a remedy!

Reuters reports today that some farmers in the eastern Indian state of Bihar have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked. They believe this will embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain. Upendra Kumar, an official from the remote town of Banke Bazaar, said "[The villagers] believe their acts would get the weather gods badly embarrassed, who in turn would ensure bumper crops by sending rains. This is the most trusted social custom in the area and the villagers have vowed to continue this practice until it rains very heavily."

Hmm...but would it work in Mississauga?

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