Devaragattu in Holagunda mandal of Kurnool district became bloodstained on Thursday night. The wedding and procession of the goddess began at midnight as part of the Banni Jaitra Yatra. Devotees from three villages on one side and devotees from seven other villages on the other side clashed with sticks to take the idols of the deities to their own area.
On this occasion, all the devotees fought with sticks covered in rings. Two people lost their lives in this fight and more than 100 people were seriously injured. The condition of five of them is critical. All the seriously injured were shifted to Adoni Hospital. District SP Vikrant Patil, Adoni Sub-Collector Maurya Bharadwaj and Pathikonda RDO Bharat Nayak are monitoring the situation.
The Mala Malleswara Swamy Dussehra Banni festival, held every year on a hill about 800 feet high in Devaragattu, is of great importance. Devotees come from not only the surrounding areas but also from distant places to watch this battle. In this battle of sticks, devotees from Nerani, Neranikitanda and Kothapet villages are on one side.
Devotees from Arikera, Arikerathanda, Siluvai, Ellarthi, Kurukunda, Bilehal and Virupapuram villages are on the other side. They all fight with sticks. Many devotees get injured in this divine work. The injured are treated in the medical camp set up there. Those in serious condition are taken to bigger hospitals. Many devotees, even if injured, apply locally available rock (yellow) and go without any treatment.
In the Treta Yuga, the sages performed yagnas in the Devaragattu hills for the welfare of the world. The demons Mani and Mallasura prevented them. Unable to bear their attacks, the sages prayed to Shiva and Parvathi to save them. Devotees believe that the original couple, who listened to the sages’ plea, incarnated as Mala and Malleswara and killed the demons.
Mala and Malleswara fought fiercely with the demons Mani and Mallasura. The war with those demons, who had received a boon of not dying at the hands of humans, reached a critical level. Finally, the demons, who considered it their fortune to die at the hands of Shiva, prepared for their death.
Before dying, they requested the deva to grant them a human sacrifice every year. When the demons requested a human sacrifice, the deva promised to offer the blood of a goat’s thigh as an offering to every Vijayadashami. Since then, the Jaitra Yatra has been celebrated every year on Vijayadashami to mark the victory of good over evil.