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Superstitions of Rural Vidarbha Unveiled

Superstitions of Rural Vidarbha
Superstitions of Rural Vidarbha

In the villages of Vidarbha, Maharashtra, daily life unfolds with superstitions that have deep roots.


People here follow traditions passed down through families, practices that shape how they handle sickness, misfortune, and nature.


This region, known for its farming and forests, holds onto beliefs that stand out to those unfamiliar with them. The following pages explore these customs, offering a clear view into what drives them.


Branding Children with Hot Iron


One custom in rural Vidarbha involves branding sick children, a practice called Damba.


Parents use hot iron rods, pressing them onto the stomachs of their young ones, believing it cures illnesses.

Reports show this happens often, with at least one child dying each year from the burns. In one striking case, an infant endured 67 brands, the marks covering their skin as a desperate attempt at healing. Families turn to this method when they see no other way, relying on it instead of doctors.


The tools are basic, such as iron rods heated over a fire, handled by someone trusted in the village. No one keeps an official count of how many children face this, but stories spread through conversations.



In places like Melghat, where clinics are far off, this custom thrives. Parents watch as the heated metal meets flesh, convinced it chases away whatever ails their child. The practice continues, handed down as a solution when modern care feels out of reach.

This isn’t hidden away. Villagers see it as normal, a step taken out of care. The burns leave lasting scars, proof of a belief that holds strong.


Children, too small to grasp why bearing the pain of a tradition means to save them. Across Vidarbha’s rural patches, Damba remains a vivid part of life, tied to hope and trust in old ways.


Witchcraft Claims Against the Elderly

Witchcraft Claims Against the Elderly in Vidarbha
Witchcraft Claims Against the Elderly in Vidarbha

Another belief in Vidarbha targets older women, accusing them of witchcraft. These claims often fall on those past 70, living alone or seen as different.


One woman, aged 70, faced this fate. Villagers said she caused harm with dark powers, then tortured and paraded her in public. Her story isn’t unique. It fits a wider pattern where age makes someone a target for blame.

It starts with trouble like crops failing, someone dying, or odd events that stir fear. People look for a reason, and suspicion lands on these women.


The punishment is harsh. Beatings, public shaming, or worse, all driven by the idea they’re behind the bad luck.



No one tracks every case, but the incidents pile up, shared through village talk. Those accused, already weakened by years, face a community united against them.


The belief runs deep, fuelled by fear of the unknown. Villagers act together, being certain they’re rooting out evil.

For the women caught in this, life turns upside down, their place in the village lost to whispers. In Vidarbha’s scattered settlements, this custom holds firm, a stark mark of how mistrust shapes actions.


Rituals for Rain and Quick Cures


In Vidarbha’s fields and homes, people look to rituals to control nature and health. Rain-making ceremonies take place, especially when drought hits.


These habits, common in nearby Marathwada too, involve gatherings where villagers try to call down rain.


They use chants or offerings, believing they can sway the weather with these acts. Dry seasons push them to rely on this, a way to feel in charge of the skies.

Alongside this, miracle cures draw crowds. Men claiming special powers offer fast fixes for sickness, from fevers to long-term pains.



They use rituals or items said to hold healing strength, stepping in where medicine is scarce. Families, eager for help, trust these figures, passing along tales of cures that worked. In a region where hospitals sit miles away, these healers find a steady following.


Both practices are tied to the need for rain for crops and relief for bodies. Villagers lean on them, seeing results where science hasn’t reached.

The ceremonies and cures fill gaps, keeping faith in the supernatural alive. Across Vidarbha, these beliefs pulse through daily struggles, a steady beat in rural life.


Dreadlocks as a Divine Sign

Dreadlocks as a Divine Sign in Vidarbha
Dreadlocks as a Divine Sign in Vidarbh

Among Vidarbha’s women, dreadlocks, called Jata, carry special meaning. Many see the tangled, matted hair as a gift from above, a mark of favour.


They leave it uncut, letting it grow thick and heavy, a sign of something sacred. Mothers teach daughters to keep it, tying it to their sense of worth

.

The truth behind it is simpler. Hygiene often lags, causing the tangles. In 2025, a push convinced 327 women to cut their Jata, showing dirt and neglect beneath.


For those who did, it was a shift, but many held on, unwilling to part with what they see as holy. The dreadlocks sway as they work or walk, a visible piece of their faith.


This custom stands out in village life, a personal choice rooted in belief. Women wear it with pride, even as others point to its cause.


In homes and fields, Jata marks those who follow it, a tradition that resists change. For them, it’s a link to the divine, kept alive through the years.


Vidarbha’s rural corners teem with these practices, each one a thread in daily existence.


Iron cools by firesides, elderly women rebuild after accusations, fields wait for rain, and hair stays matted in devotion.

These ways of living stretch across the land, vivid and real to those who hold them.


References




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