TIRUNELVELI: A disturbing video of ‘samiyaadis’ carrying what appears to be freshly buried or cremated human body parts – including head, hand and legs – during the ‘saama kodai’ ritual at the Sudalai Madasamy temple in Uppur village near Ambasamudram went viral on social media on Friday night.
Sources alleged that the ‘samiyaadis’ had collected the remains from burial and cremation grounds earlier in the day for use in the ritual, which is part of the temple’s annual festival.
In the video, three ‘samiyaadis’ are apparently seen carrying the body parts. A photograph accessed by TNIE shows two skulls with flesh, a severed hand, and other unidentifiable remains being offered to the deity on banana leaves and mud pot.
When contacted, Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police N Silambarasan said he has instructed the police officer concerned to register a case.
According to local beliefs, ‘samiyaadis’ of Sudalai Madasamy temples in some southern districts engage in midnight corpse-hunting during festivals, as narrated in oral legends about the deity, Sudalai Madan. However, in most temples, the ‘samiyaadis’ only visit burial or cremation grounds as a symbolic ritual and return empty-handed.
In 2021, Pavoorchatram police registered a case against a group of ‘samiyaadis’ for allegedly carrying a half-burnt human skull and consuming human flesh during the Sudalai Madasamy temple festival in Kallurani.