The people of the Madhes are now calling upon the gods every day, pleading for water. With bowed heads, they are praying to the earth for drinking water. Villages are organizing grand religious rituals to ask for rain. In temples and shrines, priests and devotees can be seen gazing at the sky, holding flowers and offerings in their palms, invoking the gods—especially Lord Indra, the god of rain—for mercy.

Why wouldn’t they turn to the divine, when the government has failed to act? The people of Madhes are spending their days searching for water to quench their thirst and for irrigation to grow food for survival. The drought has disrupted the entire agricultural cycle in the region. Crops like rice, vegetables, maize, and fruits are all facing severe challenges due to the lack of rainfall.