Gaya (Bihar) May 15 (IANS): Amid a raging global pandemic, a large number of people in this Bihar holy city organised an occult ceremony (tantric puja) on Saturday to expedite the end to Coronavirus.

The rituals were held at the Ma Kali temple in Gaya district .

Acharya Hanumant, one of the main priests of Ma Kali temple said: "It is an old practice started in 1951 to organise "Tantric Puja" in this temple by sacrificing a goat."

"We strongly believe that Tantric Puja would help to end any pandemic. We have organised Tantric Puja this year to end the Corona pandemic from the world. We also did the same last year," he said.

"A large number of people assembled in this temple and participated in Tantric Puja on Saturday morning. We have also organised a religious feast for every devotee," he said. This religious gathering despite repeated stress to maintain Covid norms to break the chain of infection.

The second wave of Corona has affected every section of people in large numbers across Bihar and deaths have also occurred in large numbers.

People especially in rural areas have been opting for superstitious practices to end their plight.

Some of the extraordinary measures taken so far -- using cow dung for bath, Hawans in temples, reading Hanuman Chalisa, Durga Chalisa, Kali Ma Chalisa, Shiv Chalisa and Maha Mritunjay Mantra.