India is one of the most affected countries by the Covid-19 pandemic, and people are turning to spiritual and divine powers in an attempt to protect themselves from the new coronavirus.

Last month, Indian media reported on a group of women from a village in West Bengal who had decided to fight the coronavirus in their own way – by worshiping Corona Mai, or ‘Corona Goddess’. They set up a small shrine on the banks of Chinnamasta pond, near Asansol city, and started singing songs and mantras, burning incense and bringing offerings like fruits, vegetables, ghee, and jaggery. The women said that they planned to worship and pray to the goddess until she takes away the coronavirus. That may take a while…

“We hope that Corona devi ensures that the virus leaves us forever,” a 23-year-old worshipper told The Hindu. “Our offerings and chants will win us some respite from the virus.”

Worshipers of Corona Mai range from women in their early 20s to old ladies in their 70s, and they all believe that the best way to help fight the pandemic is to pray to the goddess until she decides to take the coronavirus away.

“We have decided to worship Corona devi every Monday and Friday till she becomes satisfied,” a 56-year-old woman said.

But while this group of Corona Goddess worshipers from West Bengal set up a small outdoor shrine, one Kerala man set up a temple to worship a “coronavirus goddess”. As per Hindu traditions, which promote seeing a god in every molecule around us, Anilan Muhoortham, from the town of Kadakkal,  worships coronavirus as a goddess.

“I have established this temple for Goddess Coronavirus in accordance with the constitutional freedom to worship. Goddess Coronavirus is being worshiped here,” the Kerala man said. “I dedicate the temple to those health workers, scientists trying to find vaccines, police-fire & rescue officers, other media personnel, journalists and expatriates reporting the information in real-time.”

Anilan is obeying the social distancing rules, so whoever wants to make an offering to he Goddess Coronavirus via his home temple can do so by courier or post. Or they can just call him to have the prasad delivered.

So if the vaccines or medical treatment for the coronavirus don’t work out, I guess we have a plan B?