Andhra Pradesh: Bizarre stick fighting ritual

by Guest Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:47 pm

A bizarre Dussehra ritual in Andhra Pradesh in which villagers thrash
each other with sticks has left 70 people injured this year.

Of those injured, many suffered serious injuries.

The
ritual was practised in Kurnool district of the state on the night of
Dussehra. It had people from several villages indulging in stick fight -
all vying for the idol of Lord Mala Malleswara Swamy.

As per
the custom, the villagers fight for hours until the winner is announced
next morning. In the process, many are known to suffer fatal injuries.
Shockingly, the police are reduced to being mere spectators.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/70-injured-in-bizarre-dussehra-ritual-in-andhra/1/116995.html

by Guest Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:56 pm

by chameli Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:24 pm

"Mujhey roundh daalo " unless baba did this( hit the devotees with a stick they wont go to heaven some such thing

wow many religions have this self flagellation technique A kind of discipline perhaps

was real weird though

by Guest Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:25 pm

With the spread of science and rationalism, all forms of superstition will eventually be eliminated. needless to say, the problem of bizarre rituals is not confined to AP but is spread all across India.

by Guest Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:13 am

They shed sweat, blood and toil to safeguard idols

Jan 29, 2012 :

Police remain mute witness as thousands clash with clubs in the centuries-old ritual during Dasara festival.

For centuries, every year during Dasara festival, devotees armed with
sticks from three villages descend on the streets of Devaragattu, a
small town in the Alur mandal of Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh, and
fight to grab the idols of the presiding deity of the Mala Malleswara
Swamy temple. The “fighters” beat the hell out of their opponents with
sticks in an effort to “steal” the idols. The roads leading to the
temple turn red as hundreds get hurt during the midnight madness that
goes on till dawn.

In 2001, on the intervening night of October 7
and 8, at least 100 people were injured, 13 of them critically, in
this centuries-old ritual called Gattu Mallaiah Banni utsavam on the
hillock near
Devaragattu. Despite several awareness campaigns and
heavy deployment of police personnel, residents of Neraniki, Neraniki
tanda and Kothapeta villages braced themselves for midnight stick fight.

It
all started at 11 pm on October 7 with people from the three villages
congregating with the idols of Aswamurthulu at Dollabanda and vowing to
save their idols in the utsav. Amid bursting of crackers, a few minutes
after midnight, Malli Goud of Neraniki took permission from the police
for the procession of deities. After the celestial wedding of Malleswara
Swamy with Mala Devi, the priest and residents of Neraniki, Neraniki
tanda and Kothapeta villages escorted the procession of the deities
while over 10,000 people witnessed it.

To protect the idols from
being stolen by people from other cluster villages, they resorted to a
mock fight with sticks and clubs against those who tried to intrude. At
Rakshasapada, the priest pierced his leg with a needle and spilled blood
to appease demons.

After performing puja at a Shami Vriksham,
they made their way back to the temple. On the return journey, too, they
have to defend the idols from others.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/222775/they-shed-sweat-blood-toil.html

by chameli Tue Mar 20, 2012 11:38 am

I've even heard of devotees rolling for miles to reach their temple or pushing themselves uphill to do so

resulting often in mangled fingers and toes

lordy lordy

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Andhra Pradesh: Bizarre stick fighting ritual

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