COVID-19: ‘Corona Devi' pujas held in West Bengal's North Dinajpur district

It remains to be seen whether the COVID-19 pandemic makes people more cautious about personal hygiene. But panic over the deadly virus is resulting in strange superstitions in West Bengal.

A section of locals in North Dinajpur district has started worshiping the virus as a 'goddess' and performing 'Corona Devi' Pujas, with a firm belief that this is the only way to put an end to the outbreak.

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A local crematorium in the district’s Raiganj town on Monday witnessed a strange strange scene, when a section local women held a Corona Devi Puja.

The organizers got to know about the rituals of the puja from the internet and also hired a priest. They offered sweets, hibiscus flowers and sugary drinks to the ‘goddess’.

"The ritual was performed by the women after they fasted for a day, with the sun as a witness," said the priest Surajit Chakraborty. He also said that the puja was performed praying that the world gets rid of the virus and goes ahead in the path of progress. After the ritual, the offerings were buried at the spot.

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However, this is not the only instance of such rituals being held. Local members of the Science and Rationalists' Society of India, a Kolkata based rationalist organization, said such pujas are also being held in some other areas of the district.

“We have repeatedly approached the organizers trying to make them realize that such superstitious activities can never stop the pandemic but most of them refuse to budge from their blind faith,” said Sujay Chand, a resident of Raiganj and Central Committee member of the Science and Rationalist Association of India.

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He also said that not only norms of social distancing were being violated during such events but most of the participants were not even wearing masks. The development comes at a time when COVID-19 cases are steadily increasing in West Bengal.