People of Rajasthan celebrated a bizarre snake festival at veer Teja temple on September 15 in which the devotees willingly received snakebites in the hope that this will bring good fortune to their life.

Not only Rajasthan, but hundreds of people flocked from other states as well at the legendary temple of folk hero Veer Teja, who is considered as one of the 11 incarnations of Lord Shiva and worshipped as a deity in rural Rajasthan.

The devotees sang and danced and received snake bites holding snakes with their hands.

Devotees also traveled 300 kilometres to celebrate the festival. It is a belief that if you receive a snake bite, your diseases will get cured.

Superstitious elements like these still grip the mindset of a large section of rural population in India. Even the urban mass cannot be called totally free from any superstitious beliefs. Unless and until education reaches to everyone, this problem cannot be fixed.

The logical Indian raises questions on such superstitious beliefs and rituals. Even if one has a firm belief in something there are other harmless ways to worship, pray or wish.