Telangana priest worships crocodile, prays for abundant rains

Hyderabad: In an unusual spectacle, a priest in Telangana’s Jogulamba Gadwal district was seen offering prayers to a crocodile, believing the ritual would help bring abundant rainfall to the region.

The incident occurred at the Pushkara Ghat near the Krishna River in Jogulamba Gadwal district. With an extended weekend, on Sunday, August 9, visitors and devotees flocked to the ghat, some visiting the Anjaneyaswamy temple, others just to watch the Krishna River next to it.

While people enjoyed the view, a crocodile suddenly emerged from the waters and approached the ghat, causing panic, with visitors shocked to see the reptile come so close. It crawled straight into a building where priest Anil Sharma sat in front of the reptile.

Sharma began worshipping the crocodile, chanting mantras, even annointing it with saffron, turmeric, and flowers. He said the crocodile is the vehicle of god Varuna and prayed for abundant rains and for people to be prosperous with their crops.