Some festivals can be quite deadly on occasion in which unusual traditions are followed… One such bizarre festival is celebrated in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

One and a half hours drive away from Kurnool district is Devargattu village, which is situated on the Andhra –Karnataka border. It is famous for its Mala Malleswara Swamy temple where the Bani festival is held once every year coinciding with the Hindu festival of Dussehra. This is an unusual fair, which attracts people from South India and other parts of the world. During the festival, devotees from both the states Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka gather in huge numbers with sticks, to hit each other on the heads till midnight.

This traditional festival is celebrated with huge zeal and fervor on Vijayadashmi. According to legend there were two demons- Mani and Mallasura who lived in the hills of Devaragattu and tortured the hermits who lived there. The hermits then prayed intensely to Lord Parameshwara or Shiva and Goddess Parvati to come to their aid. The Lord emerged as the ‘moola virat’ in Kurma vatharam form on the top of a rock situated in the hills and killed these asuras on the night of Vijayadashami.

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