Videos of people feeding gulab jamun (sweets) to donkeys in India have gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention and leaving many users surprised by the unusual ritual, 24NewsHD TV reported on Saturday.
According to Indian media reports, residents of Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, revived the centuries-old tradition after the region experienced below-normal rainfall and a weak monsoon.
Viral videos and images show large groups of people gathering on roads to feed the sweets to donkeys.
The unusual spectacle also caught the attention of passers-by, many of whom recorded the event and shared the videos on social media, where they quickly gained traction.
The footage shows residents offering gulab jamun to donkeys in the middle of the road as part of a symbolic ritual intended to seek rainfall.
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Amid a delayed monsoon, residents performed an unusual ritual by feeding gulab jamuns to donkeys in an attempt to appease the rain gods and pray for rainfall. pic.twitter.com/HvfH1EdIaL
— IANS (@ians_india) July 18, 2026
Locals said the practice is rooted in an ancient belief observed whenever the monsoon is delayed, or rainfall remains below expectations.
According to the traditional belief, offering sweets to donkeys is a symbolic gesture meant to please Bhagwan Indra, the Hindu god associated with rain, in the hope that he will bless the region with abundant showers.
The unusual ritual has sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users expressing curiosity about the age-old tradition while others viewed it with amusement.