A woman in India's Jharkhand state died of a snake bite after she wrapped the poisonous serpent around her neck, believing that it was actually a messenger of Lord Shiva, who, according to Hindu belief, is also known as the lord of snakes.
The woman - Runiya Devi - a resident of the State's Chatra District, was set to attend a religious programme dedicated to Shiva. But before leaving the house, a snake appeared before her, a media report said.
Believing the snake was a 'messenger' or representative of Lord Shiva, the woman picked it up and wrapped it around her neck to take part in the religious rituals. Even after the snake bit her several times, she kept ignoring it and soon fell unconscious, the local media reported.
During this ongoing month of Shravan, Shiva devotees observe fasts on Mondays. They restrict their diet to fruit, milk, and water.
Hindus believe that all wishes of any devotee can come true with the blessings of Lord Shiva.
According to the World Health Organisation's estimation, about 1.2 million people died from snake bites in India in the past two decades, averaging 58,000 deaths every year with nearly half of the victims aged 30-69 years, and over a quarter being children under age 15.