Children lie in cow dung on occasion of Govardhan Puja in MP

In the name of tradition, children were made to lie on cow dung on the occasion of Govardhan Puja in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district.

The tradition has been a part of the Betul district headquarters Yadav Mohalla. On the occasion of Diwali, infants and children aged 14 or 15 are made to lie in cow dung in the hope that it would bring them good health and protection from diseases.

Govardhan Puja also known as 'Annakoot Puja', is a Hindu festival when devotees pray to Lord Krishna. Govardhan Puja commemorates the day when Lord Krishna lifted the Goverdhan mountain to prevent Rain God Lord Indra from causing havoc on the people through heavy showers.

Kailash Yadav, one of the organisers, told ANI, "This is a very old ritual and is related to tradition. Since cow dung is considered to be sacred in Hinduism and is used in puja, so the tradition of laying children is practiced to make them healthy."

"The bacteria in cow dung can cause allergic reactions on skin and we should stay away from it," a doctor, however, told ANI.