Assam: Kokrajhar Villagers Pray for Divine Intervention against COVID-19

Kokrajhar, March 26, 2020:

At a time when people in the thousands are dying across the world due to the outbreak of the pandemic coronavirus (or COVID-19), a bunch of villagers in a remote village in Kokrajhar district of Assam have been seen offering up prayers to the deity Bwrai Bathow to save them.

Citizens from Purana Titaguri Thuribari village near Bodoland University of Assam offered Puja to Bwrai Bathow (a God modeled after Shiva) at the village road through Bathow tradition in Kokrajhar. The village Society from Purana Titaguri Thuribari village under Kokrajhar police station has decided to offer Puja and worship service to the lord to save them from the corona, they said. The simple villagers came out of their houses and through traditional rituals, paid their respects to the God, and exhorted him to keep the corona at a safe distance.

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"We offered our prayer and worship to Lord Bwrai Bathow to get relief from the infection of coronavirus. We have no option other than offering worship and prayer to the Bwrai Bathow in this crucial hour. We hope Bwrai Bathow will save us from the scare of the Coronavirus in this world", said L Goyary, a resident of the village.

Meanwhile, another village, Batabari near Dotma, has erected wooden barricades to prevent outsiders, who could potentially bring the virus, from entering.

The village, inhabited by only 75 families, has taken strict measures in order to block the inflow of visitors, as the COVID-19 continues to spread its tentacles across the world (over 21,000 have dies so far). The villagers have locked away the outside world and have strictly prohibited other people’s entry into village to stay at home and safe from COVID affect.

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Similarly, in Moran of Assam, similar sights have been witnessed where several villagers have been seen barricading themselves against outsiders, as the nation observes the second day of the 21-day lockdown called by the Indian Government as an emergency measure. Phatikasuwa Abhaypuri is one such village.

“The decision that the Centre has taken to lockdown, we should follow. Even a developed country like Italy has not been able to resist. France, Japan, America and China have seen many deaths. The people of this village have become alert and we are not allowing foreigners to enter”, said a youth of the Assam village.

Villagers also appealed all sections of citizens to keep social distance and maintain A healthy and maintain a hygienic life. "We have initiated village lockdown to make safety measures for citizens in the wake of coronavirus in the region. We must follow the directions of nationwide lockdown of having stay at home", said Kansai Brahma, a villager in Batabari.

Coronavirus Update:

Meanwhile, 490,271 cases of the coronavirus have been reported across the world. While 118,059 people have died, 22,160 of the people have recovered. 17,770 of the 350,052 active cases are said to be in a serious condition, while 332,282 are mild infections. In India, there have been 716 instances of the disease, and 14 deaths.

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