At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned in Bihar while participating in the Hindu Jivitputrika festival, according to state disaster management authorities on Friday.
The three-day festival, also known as Jitiya, began on Wednesday and is centered around prayers for the health and prosperity of children. Mothers observe the festival by fasting for 24 hours without food or water and ending the fast by taking a ritual bath in rivers, often accompanied by their children.
However, this year's celebrations turned tragic as swollen rivers, due to recent floods and heavy monsoon rains, claimed dozens of lives across nearly half of Bihar’s districts.
Nadeemul Ghaffar Siddiqui, joint secretary of Bihar’s Disaster Management Authority, said, "Young kids in the age group of eight to ten, along with their mothers, went to take the ritual bath. During this process, something went wrong, and the accidents occurred."
The victims were mostly children aged between 8 and 17, with seven women also among those who drowned. The Bihar government has announced compensation of 4 lakh rupees ($4,800) for the families of 20 victims so far.
The Jivitputrika festival, traditionally observed for the well-being of children, has now been overshadowed by this tragic loss of life, prompting calls for increased safety measures during future celebrations.
The three-day festival, also known as Jitiya, began on Wednesday and is centered around prayers for the health and prosperity of children. Mothers observe the festival by fasting for 24 hours without food or water and ending the fast by taking a ritual bath in rivers, often accompanied by their children.
However, this year's celebrations turned tragic as swollen rivers, due to recent floods and heavy monsoon rains, claimed dozens of lives across nearly half of Bihar’s districts.
Nadeemul Ghaffar Siddiqui, joint secretary of Bihar’s Disaster Management Authority, said, "Young kids in the age group of eight to ten, along with their mothers, went to take the ritual bath. During this process, something went wrong, and the accidents occurred."
The victims were mostly children aged between 8 and 17, with seven women also among those who drowned. The Bihar government has announced compensation of 4 lakh rupees ($4,800) for the families of 20 victims so far.
The Jivitputrika festival, traditionally observed for the well-being of children, has now been overshadowed by this tragic loss of life, prompting calls for increased safety measures during future celebrations.
