Dry Spells and Divine Interventions: The Bhopal Donkey Ritual In Madhya Pradesh, a peculiar ritual has emerged in response to the state's severe drought.
In Bhopal, donkeys were fed gulab jamuns – sweet, deep fried dumplings – in a traditional ceremony aimed at appeasing Indra, the Hindu god of rain.
The event took place amidst 35 districts struggling with below normal precipitation. Organizers hope to invoke a divine response to their pleas for rain.