Rain‑Deficit Protest: Ganesh Throne Removed in Chhattisgarh

Facing an unprecedented rain deficit, the people of Bastar have turned a religious ritual into a form of civil protest. The Ganesh statue, traditionally seated on an ornate throne, was taken down and placed on the earth as a visual plea for clouds. Local belief holds that a displeased deity can affect the climate, so the act is meant to coax the god into interceding for rain.