Father’s Recovery Triggers Vow; Woman Continues Extreme Navratri Ritual

Months ago, Guddi Devi’s father, Vasudev Sardar, suffered a paralytic attack that left him partially immobilised. After a series of treatments failed to yield significant progress, the family visited a Durga temple seeking divine aid. When the father’s condition began to improve, Guddi Devi vowed to install a kalash on her right hand and observe a nine‑day nirjala fast during Navratri.

True to her promise, she began the ritual on the first day of Navratri at the Ajgabi Kali Durga temple located in the Triveniganj Mela Ground. Six days into the fast, she continues to forgo food and water, even as a medical examination revealed dangerous heart‑related symptoms.

Despite the doctors’ urgent recommendation for hospitalisation, Guddi Devi maintains that the goddess Durga will shield her from harm. She argues that breaking the vow would nullify the gratitude she feels for her father’s recovery.

Local officials are now trying to intervene delicately, balancing respect for her religious commitment with the necessity of life‑saving medical care.