Indian Women Asked to Plow Fields Naked For Rain

July 24, 2009

Modern women in eastern India have been asked to participate in an ancient tradition: plowing dry fields naked with the hope that it will embarrass the weather gods and urge them to respond with a much needed monsoon.

This year, Indian farmers are worrying over a very dry start to the monsoon season and having nude women plow the fields while chanting hymns is the most trusted custom among farmers. Interestingly, only unmarried women are allowed to participate.

If I were asked to plow fields naked to help California's drought problem, you could bet that more than the weather gods would be embarrassed.

Source: Getty

13 Comments

3 years

The distinction between nuditus virualis purity and innocence and nuditus criminals lascivious and vain exhibition was already clearly established .Hence it lifts one s thoughts towards the pure peaks of mere physical beauty and towards understanding of,and identification with,moral and spiritual beauty.Is planet earth nude or naked of trees ect deforestation four est tat ion.4 east

cakeshinigami 3 years

I wouldn't get naked in front of men who think women are 2nd class citizens.

margokhal 3 years

A serious question: what will the village do if this doesn't work and it doesn't rain? Maybe the weather gods are okay with nudity... (okay that last part was a little joke. A TINY one. :D) In any case, weather all over the world's been weird the last couple of years, so I'm not surprised. Hope they get some rain soon for their crops!

margokhal 3 years

A serious question: what will the village do if this doesn't work and it doesn't rain? Maybe the weather gods are okay with nudity... (okay that last part was a little joke. A TINY one. :D)In any case, weather all over the world's been weird the last couple of years, so I'm not surprised. Hope they get some rain soon for their crops!

staple salad 3 years

I think it's awesome! I'd so do that, it sounds fun. Then again, I have no qualms against nudity, and think cultural traditions are fascinating.

3 years

I am of Indian origin, and I can tell you that this is not a common practice, nor is it one that I agree with. It's just one practice that's happening in one small village, where the people are less educated and more orthodox. This is not representative of the culture as a whole.

3 years

Tres, do you really need to be snarky about another culture's traditions? It may offend our modern sensibilities and those of the Indian women being asked to participate, but the tradition comes from somewhere.

3 years

Just because something is a tradition doesn't mean it isn't dumb. Sorry. It's just a ploy for them to see naked women if you ask me.

cherryblossom 3 years

I dont think we should down ages old traditions that arent killing or maiming anyone. Hey they could be an old culture that wanted to sacrifice some women for rain, but they arent, there could be a lot worse things to worry about here.

hypnoticmix 3 years

"plowing dry fields naked with the hope that it will embarrass the weather gods and urge them to respond with a much needed monsoon." Man the things you could read into that.

hypnoticmix 3 years

"plowing dry fields naked with the hope that it will embarrass the weather gods and urge them to respond with a much needed monsoon."Man the things you could read into that.