Mysuru: In a diverse country like India where religion, tradition and culture is deep rooted, the people have immense faith in religious practises and it has come to the Indian psyche from time immemorial.

The many texts, fables and epics depict such practises abound. Even in the western minds, these Indian faiths resonate.

An Iranian woman Maria, who has come to Mysuru being inspired to learn yoga for health reasons, is now bowled over by the religious practises.

Finding that she is facing many uncertainties in life which is causing problems for her, she approached Amruteshwara Temple’s M.Y. Kumar, with her date of birth.

On seeing Maria’s birth chart, Kumar told her that she has ‘Sarpa Dosha.’ (According to some astrologers this Dosha occurs due to killing of a serpent by someone in the family in the past and this Kala Sarpa Dosha affects generations if not rectified).

In order to ward off this effect, Maria was asked to perform the puja on the banks of Cauvery river in Srirangapatna on Tuesday (May 8). She performed the pujas according to tradition with complete faith. Yesterday (May 9) also she performed Sarpa Samskara, homas and Ashlesha Bali puja, said Kumar.

It is heartening to see that while many in our country ridicule such practises, a foreigner has kept faith in our age-old practises.