With the corona scare gripping people all over, people in some rural parts of the State are adopting superstitious practices to keep them safe from the deadly virus.
Residents of Aunli village under Papadahandi block in Nabarangpur district made a beeline at a Shiva temple in the wee hours on Sunday to perform puja.
There is a rumour that a couple having a single child would perform puja at their village temples or else lives of the family members will be at stake. Soon after the rumour spread, families having single children walked around two km to a Shiva temple at Maidalpur village and the air reverberated with chants and ululation. Influenced by the rumour, people of Maidalpur village too followed suit.
Notably, on Saturday, in Keonjhar district, thousands of women thronged a Shani temple at Puruna Bazaar to perform a special puja to save them from coronavirus. As per the rumour, women having single children collected Rs 5 each from seven mothers having twin children and the total amount was offered to the god.