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Doraemon Stands In For Real Cat in Thai Rain Ritual
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
A drought-stricken village in Thailand has turned to a traditional rain ritual in hopes of alleviating the heat. The ritual usually calls for a cat to be placed in a wooden cage and taken to sacred sites and a monastery in town. The practitioners were concerned that using a real cat would cause complaints of animal abuse and instead opted for a stuffed cat toy. When the search for a realistic stand-in failed, the group opted to use the best they could find: Doraemon.
A stuffed Doraemon was placed in the box and the rest of the ritual continued as planned. The farming village located in Phrae province grows corn, however the lack of rain is causing poor crops and is beginning to affect drinking water supply. Since the ritual was completed, the drought carries on. The area's rainy season usually starts in May and lasts through November.
Source: Thai Rath, Bangkok Post, BBC