Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

A `divine' cure for chikungunya!

Staff Reporter

The oracle blames it on a `curse'. The remedy is an offering of `saaka' to the goddess! The oracle, taking part in `rangam' at Ujjaini Mahankali temple, blames it on a `curse'. The remedy is an offering of `saaka' to the goddess!

PIOUS MATTERS!: The oracle predicting future. — Photo D. Gopalakrishnan

HYDERABAD: And now a `divine' remedy for the city reeling under chikungunya! "Offer `saaka' (a concoction of water and neem leaves) to goddess Mahankali for one week and apply vermilion on your forehead to ward off the disease."

Swarna Latha, the oracle who `invokes' goddess Mahankali on to her as part of the `rangam' ritual at the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad, dished out this medical advice here on Monday. "Chikungunya is the result of a curse and people are getting possessed by evil spirits," she said as a hush descended on the place.

But, she quickly assured the devout that she would protect them from chikungunya.

The `predictions'

With turmeric and sandal paste smeared on her face, the oracle carrying a `kinera' (single string musical instrument) was in a trance for about 15 minutes.

Standing atop a wet clay urn, she replied to questions posed by devotees.

She said this year would see bountiful rainfall. She also predicted that prices of essential commodities would come down shortly.

She expressed satisfaction over the prayers offered by devotees and added that people would lead a happy and peaceful life this year.

Festival concludes

The two-day festival concluded on Monday.

A procession was taken out from the temple carrying the deity on a caparisoned elephant.

There were long queues on Monday too but devotees had a darshan of the temple deity without any inconvenience as the police restricted entry of political leaders.

According to the police, over four lakh people from various parts of the State had participated in the `Ashadam' jatara.

Cultural programmes were organised near the temple.

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