Frog Marriage, Rongdoi Village, Assam, India

The frog marriage is a traditional ritual observed by the rural folk to appease the gods to bring in rain and ensure a good harvest.

Frog weddings were solemnized by the Rongdoi village in Assam’s Jorhat district to please the Hindu Rain God Barun. Hundreds of village folk, young and old, boys and girls gathered at Rongdoi village community hall till late at night to witness the unconventional marriage.

There is a mythological belief among Hindus that if wild frogs caught by people are married off with Vedic rites and traditional marriage rituals like human beings, it can help bring rainfall in the coming days. Thousands of farmers are facing a drought like situation throughout the state as the monsoon rain is eluding to hit the plains of Assam for almost a week.

There is a belief that when a frog marriage is performed, the Barun Devata [the rain-god] is pleased and brings rain. Since, there has been no rain for the past couple of weeks, villagers of Rongdoi have performed the frog marriage to invoke the Barun Devata and expecting the rain to come very soon.