Villagers confine rare turtle, say it is God

**Loki** · 11-13-2009, 01:01 AM

Villagers confine rare turtle, say it is God

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Hundreds of poor Hindu villagers in eastern India have refused to hand over a rare turtle to authorities, saying it is an incarnation of God, officials said on Tuesday. Villagers chanting hymns and carrying garlands, bowls of rice and fruits are pouring in from remote villages to a temple in Kendrapara, a coastal district in eastern Orissa state.

10 November 2009 08:51 AM

BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Hundreds of poor Hindu villagers in eastern India have refused to hand over a rare turtle to authorities, saying it is an incarnation of God, officials said on Tuesday.

Villagers chanting hymns and carrying garlands, bowls of rice and fruits are pouring in from remote villages to a temple in Kendrapara, a coastal district in eastern Orissa state.

Policemen have struggled to control the gathering and have failed to persuade the villagers to give up the sea turtle.

"We have asked the villagers to hand it over as it is illegal to confine a turtle, but they are refusing," said P.K. Behera, a senior government wildlife official.

The turtle is protected in India and anyone found keeping one without permission can be jailed for a year or more and fined.

But adamant villagers have refused to give up the reptile, saying the turtle bears holy symbols on its back and is an incarnation of Lord Jagannath, a popular Hindu deity.

"Lord Jagannath has visited our village in the form of a turtle. We will not allow anybody to take the turtle away," said Ramesh Mishra, a priest of the temple.

**Absinthe** · 11-13-2009, 01:07 AM

Can you prove otherwise?

**The Lawspeaker** · 11-13-2009, 01:12 AM

Only in the Third World .... and medieval Europe (as to show them how bloody far the idiots lag behind).

**Loki** · 11-13-2009, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by Absinthe

Can you prove otherwise?

Nope, this turtle has a greater chance of actually being God. It is ahead of the God of the Bible, as we actually have photographic evidence of its existence.

**Absinthe** · 11-13-2009, 01:24 AM

It sounds good enough for me, I think I might convert...

**Angharad** · 11-13-2009, 07:41 AM

So, it is OK to capture Lord Jagannath against his will and keep him captive? What happens if the villagers accidentally kill Lord Jagannath through incorrect diet or whatever?

If I were Lord Jagannath I'd want to go back to the sea and hang out with my family and friends.

**~~Cato~~** · 11-13-2009, 02:10 PM

It it was found in Japan his divine lordship would've been eaten by now.

**Poltergeist** · 11-14-2009, 10:56 PM

They might be onto something, no matter how silly and hard to understand it may seem to a Western pseudo-Christian or atheist eye.

**Jeef** · 11-14-2009, 11:15 PM

When the turtle eventually dies, will it be considered good or bad? If it dies in the possession of a villager, is the villager blessed, or does he/she get thrown onto a pyre?

**~~Cato~~** · 11-15-2009, 03:39 AM

Originally Posted by Loki

Nope, this turtle has a greater chance of actually being God. It is ahead of the God of the Bible, as we actually have photographic evidence of its existence.

Don't be a smart ass.