Despite a delayed onset, the monsoon initially brought encouraging rainfall, prompting many farmers to begin sowing operations. However, several rain-fed farming regions have since witnessed prolonged dry spells.
In some areas, crops sown nearly two weeks ago have received little to no follow-up rainfall, threatening germination and growth. Reports from Haveri district’s Hangal taluk indicate that some farmers have already lost portions of their crops due to the lack of moisture, highlighting the growing impact of the rainfall deficit on agriculture.
Villages Turn to Traditional Rituals for Rain
As dry conditions persist, villagers in different parts of Karnataka have revived age-old customs associated with praying for rain.
In Ittigi village of Hoovina Hadagali taluk, residents organized a symbolic wedding ceremony for a pair of donkeys. Following local traditions, the animals were bathed, decorated and ceremonially married near a Hanuman temple. Women performed rituals, offered prayers and participated in a procession through the village streets.
Similarly, in Muttagi village of Basavana Bagewadi taluk in Vijayapura district, villagers conducted a symbolic wedding of dolls. Community elders and local youth groups joined together in the ceremony and offered prayers to the village deity, hoping for a revival of monsoon rainfall. Residents said the continuing lack of rain has increased hardships for farmers, making such traditional appeals especially meaningful this year.