TIMES OF INDIA (New Delhi) 02 June 06 Orissa woman marries snake

Bhubaneswar: A woman, who claimed to have fallen in love with a snake got married to the reptile as per Hindu rituals at Atala village of Orissa's Khurda district, 14 km from here.

The unusual marriage took place on Wednesday with over 2,000 people taking out a procession to celebrate the event.

Attired in a silk saree, 30 year-old Bimbala Das was seen sitting for around one hour as priests chanted mantras to complete the ritual.

The snake which lived in an ant hill near her home, however, was not around and a brass replica of a serpent was kept by the side of the woman instead.

Bimbala said: "Though snakes cannot speak nor understand, we communicate in a peculiar way. Whenever I put milk near the ant hill where the Cobra lives, it (the snake) always comes out to drink."

"I always get to see it every time I go near the ant hill. It has never harmed me," she claimed.

When Bimbala disclosed her idea of marrying a snake, villagers reportedly appreciated it saying the marriage will bring good fortune to the area. They also came forward to offer a grand feast for those who came to attend the marriage.
Orissa woman marries snake

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• IND Press: Orissa woman marries snake - W von Papineäu, Sat Jun 3 20:18:04 2006