No fear about Nipah virus, Assam’s remote villagers still worship bats
Guwahati, June 8 (IBNS): While the Nipah virus outbreak added to fear that the infection spread out through the excrement of bats, the people of a remote area in Assam’s Nagaon district have been worshiping the bats for long period of time.
The tribal and non-tribal residents of Kondoli area, about 15 km from central Assam’s Nagaon district, worship the bats at Baduli Khurung (bat cave) since ages.
The villagers believed that the bats are their ancestors.
The mysterious cave located in Bamuni hill is a home of both fruit and insect eating bats.
Local villagers believe that originally there was kingdom under a queen named Pramila in this place.
At that time, no man was allowed in the kingdom.
But an aged sage had entered it which made the queen angry.
The sage was stripped naked and hung upside down.
When another sage found him as hanging upside down, he raged and his curse turned the villagers into bats and the area took the shape of the cave.
The people of the area worship the bats and in each winter season after Shivratri, the villagers arranged a fair near the cave and people offer prayers there.
People of the neighbouring districts of Nagaon also gathered during the festive season at Baduli Khurung and offered their prayers.
Baharul Islam, a primary school teacher said that, the place would be emerged as a tourist place if government has to take appropriate measures.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
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