Residents in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, perform a local rain-related ritual by feeding donkeys gulab jamun amid a prolonged dry spell and a rainfall deficit reported in parts of the state. Multiple outlets report that participants gather in the city, offer prayers and perform folk rites aimed at invoking Indradev/Indra, the Hindu deity associated with rain, for timely showers and better prospects for farmers. One report describes residents searching for donkeys in Bhopal and then feeding them sweets, presenting the act as part of an older folklore tradition found in regions of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
The ritual is covered alongside weather updates. Times of India and other reports cite below-normal monsoon precipitation across several districts, while Bhopal is reported to have received comparatively better rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is also cited as forecasting a wet spell in Madhya Pradesh beginning Sunday, linked to changing weather conditions including a western disturbance and related systems. IMD officials mention the possibility of heavy rainfall in some districts as the monsoon situation improves.
