Body kept hidden to appease Goddess

From newindpress.com (don't click on the link unless you have a very good pop-up blocker) Wednesday May 28 2008 10:01 IST Express News Service DEOGARH: Raghu Adha (55) of Aadash village under Reamal police limits had died on May 24 after suffering from chicken pox and other ailments. But instead of cremating him, his family members confined the body in bales of neem leaves hoping that it would appease god. With folklore associating chicken pox to wrath of Goddess Mangala, villagers felt that if fire would be lit to the body, it would enrage the goddess, which would attract curse for the village. The family, hence, wrapped the body with neem leaves and hid it in nearby forest. However, after the incident came to light, a team of doctors led by Chief District Medical Officer, Rajarajeshwari Devi accompanied by BDO Biswamohan Ray visited the village and provided medical treatment to other chicken pox-affected patients in the village. They also facilitated cremation of the body through the Aadash panchayat.