By IANS
Ranchi : With the month-long worship of snake goddess Mansa Devi on in Jharkhand, many tribals are busy piercing their bodies in the belief that it will appease the deity and bring them prosperity.
The devotees pierce their tongue, hands, nose, ear and other body parts. The rituals began Saturday.
“Piercing the body is part of prayer rituals to keep Mansa Devi happy,” said B.K. Banerjee, a priest at the Mansa Devi temple in Tamar, around 75 km from Ranchi.
“There is a strong belief among tribal people that they can remain healthy and prevent themselves from being bitten by snakes by paying obeisance to Mansa Devi. They also feel that those who pierce their bodies get special attention from the goddess,” he said.
Dev Kumar Dhan, a devotee, said: “I have been practising the ritual for seven years and the goddess has brought prosperity to my family.”
The puja will continue for about a month.
The Mansa Devi festival is celebrated in many parts of the state, including Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Chabasa.