3 days ago
Rain after frog worship makes villagers feel vindicated
Tirupati: Unusualtraditions continue to thrive in the villages of Chittoor district, where people still turn to time-honoured rituals to bring rain. In a recent example, residents of Pathapeta in Baireddipalle mandal came together to perform the annual 'Kappa Devara Panduga' – a community ritual centred around frog worship – in the hope of invoking rainfall. This year, to their surprise and joy, the rains followed soon after the ritual was completed.
Held every year during dry spells, the frog worship ritual is an age-old custom that villagers continue with deep faith. The belief is simple: when frogs are paraded and worshipped, rains will follow. This year, after weeks of hot, dry weather, the entire village joined hands once again to carry out the tradition.
The day began with the village priest, Ramswamy, leading the ritual. Carrying a stick in one hand and a large frog in the other, he walked through every street, stopping at each doorstep as families performed a puja to the frog using turmeric, flowers, and camphor.
Explaining the ritual, Ramswamy said the practice has been followed in the village for generations. 'This is not just a religious act for us but a part of who we are. We believe frogs carry our prayers to the rain goddess, and time and again, the rains have come after we perform the puja,' he said.
After the procession, the community collected rice, vegetables, pulses and firewood from each household and gathered at the village tank. There, they sculpted a clay idol of Ganga Amma and offered cooked food to both the goddess and the frog. Once the ritual was complete, the frog was released into the tank, and the villagers sat down for a shared meal under a gradually darkening sky.
Soon after the ritual ended, clouds gathered and a steady downpour began, continuing through the night. For the villagers, the timing was no coincidence.
'I was just finishing up the cooking near the tank when the first drops started falling. We had not even returned to our homes properly, and the rain came. That's why we believe in this which never lets us down', said Muniamma, a 65-year-old resident.
The ritual also brings a sense of reassurance to farmers, especially in times of uncertainty. Even the younger generation, usually seen as moving away from traditional practices, took part with equal enthusiasm.
Rituals like frog worship may seem unusual to outsiders, but across Chittoor district — from Kuppam to Karlagatta — such practices remain a part of local life, especially during long dry spells. And for Pathapeta's villagers, the overnight rainfall was all the confirmation they needed that their tradition still holds power — as strong as ever.
