Women plough fields naked to appease rain god in western Nep

KATHMANDU (AFP) - With drought crippling parts of western Nepal, women in the world's only Hindu kingdom are reverting to the ancient tradition of ploughing fields naked in a bid to appease the rain god.

Dozens of women in Baijapur village of Banke district in southwestern Nepal last week ploughed their fields by night stark naked to appease Lord Indra, the rain god, said village council member Shukiram Tharu.

While ploughing, the women chanted, "Barso Maharaj, Barso" (Oh rain god, send us a plenty of rain), he said Sunday.

Ambika Tharu, a 35-year-old married woman, said she had performed the ritual at the insistence of her father in-law who had claimed the rain god would respond to calls for rain if the fields were ploughed by nude women.

"If no rain comes, it will spell disaster for us ... we will have to tighten out belt around the year," Tharu said.

The ploughing of fields by women is extremely rare as it is forbidden by local custom.