A Bihar village that has no onion crisis

The rising prices of onions may have brought tears to millions in India but one Bihar village is not bothered. Reason? No one in the village has consumed onion in several decades!

Residents of Bhimsen village in Banka district's Amarpur block say they don't use onion in their dishes.

"The onion prices hardly bother us. We are not using it in our food. It's an old tradition," villager Mahender Prasad Singh said.

The village has over 200 houses.

Another villager, Rameshwar Singh, said: "We have not used onion for over 200 years."

According to the villagers, over 200 years ago, their ancestors decided not to use onion after the village was badly hit by a plague like disease.

"Our forefathers saw plague as a divine curse and prohibited the use of onion to seek divine blessings and to get rid of the disease," said one of the villagers.

Added Mukesh, a student: "We respect the tradition started by our forefathers."

Onion is now selling at Rs.50-60 a kg across Bihar. - IANS