Indian Villagers Hail Rare Sea Turtle as God
For hundreds of poor villagers in eastern India a recently discovered rare sea turtle is considered the incarnation of the Hindu deity, Lord Jagannath. There is no telling them otherwise as they have refused, despite serious pressure, to relinquish the turtle to authorities.
According to Indian law, the turtle is a protected species and anyone found keeping one without permission could be fined and jailed for a year or more.
Despite attempts by police to control the situation, the villagers remain steadfast and refuse to comply. Instead, they are flocking to a temple in Kendrapara, a coastal district in the eastern Orissa state where they have gathered to chant hymns, carry garlands and offer bowls of rice and fruit.
“We have asked the villagers to hand it over as it is illegal to confine a turtle, but they are refusing,” says P.K. Behera, a senior government wildlife official.
The villagers claim that the turtle bears holy symbols on its back and is an incarnation of Lord Jagannath, a popular Hindu deity, which is a form of Vishnu.
The name, Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat (Universe) and Nath (Lord of).
The oldest and most famous Jagannath temple is in the city of Puri, in Orissa. Hindus from all over India come to worship there and the site is regarded as one of the four most sacred Hindu pilgrimages in the country.
“Lord Jagannath has visited our village in the form of a turtle. We will not allow anybody to take the turtle away,” said Ramesh Mishra, a priest of the temple.
Notwithstanding or questioning the nature or power of belief and certainly with no disrespect intended, can anyone imagine how all this fuss is affecting that poor turtle?
The peace and quiet of being submerged and far from “the maddening crowd,” so to speak, are commodities that must mean a great deal to a poor sea turtle whose only mistake was coming ashore when too many people were nearby.
What do YOU think about this?
By MDeeDubroff on 10-12-2009
