Patna: A religious gathering turned chaotic in Patna district on Saturday after a swarm of bees attacked women performing Vat Savitri rituals under a banyan tree, leaving around a dozen people injured.
The incident took place around 10am in Nimra village in the Dhanarua area, where married women had assembled to observe Vat Savitri Puja, a Hindu fast traditionally performed under banyan trees for family wellbeing and marital longevity.
According to local accounts, a group of women had completed the main puja rituals and were performing a havan (ritual fire offering) when smoke is believed to have disturbed a beehive located on the tree. The swarm of bees then descended on the gathering, triggering panic.
Women and family members reportedly ran in different directions to escape the insects. Several participants sustained bee stings and were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment. The condition of those injured has not been reported as serious.
The annual Vat Savitri observance drew a large number of participants in the village, with women offering prayers, circling banyan trees and listening to traditional religious narratives associated with the festival. The ritual is widely observed in parts of northern India and is linked to prayers for the wellbeing and longevity of husbands.
