KURNOOL: The Banni festival at Devaragattu in Holagunda Mandal in Kurnool district in which people of 12 villages engage in a fierce stick fight at midnight of Vijayadasami festival on Tuesday resulted in injuries to about 100 persons. The injured villagers were shifted to the nearby Alur hospital and the grievously wounded persons were rushed to the Adoni government hospital.
The people of Neraniki, Neraniki thanda, Kothapet, Arikera, Arikera thanda, Yellarthi, Suluvai and Alur and adjoining villages resorted to a ritualistic stick fight at midnight during the procession of the idols of Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy and Sri Parvathi Devi, after their kalyanotsavam was performed at Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy temple, atop an 800-foot high hillock at Devaragattu.
As the idols were carried down the hillock along Rakshasapada, Jammi Chettu and Neduru Basavanna temple to the Simhasanakatta, the villagers vie with one another with long sticks with metal ring tips to gain possession of the idols, while people of Neraniki, Neraniki thanda and Kothapet try to protect them.
Drone cameras and CCTV cameras were put up and District Collector G Veerapandian, Superintendent of Police K Fakeerappa and over 1,000 personnel monitored the festival.
Banni festival passed off peacefully and there were no instances of people wilfully attacking others, the SP told media. He said action would be taken if needed by reviewing the CCTV footage.
The Collector and the SP visited Sri Mala Malleswara Swamy temple during the kalyanotsavam. Later they examined the long sticks with metal tips and interacted with the villagers and some devotees dressed as “Jangam doras”, who recited songs. The festival, which coincides with Dasara, attracts a large gathering of devotees from over 50 villages in Andhra Pradesh and from Bellary district in Karnataka. The temple is owned and managed by the residents of Neraniki village.
Police use drones
SP K Fakeerappa deployed over 1,000 personnel and set up check-posts on all the roads leading to Devaragattu to check vehicles and seize liquor
The police counselled the people of Devaragattu and nearby villages against using sticks. But the people paid a deaf ear to their advice
The police monitored the festivities using drone and CCTV cameras
Kalyanotsavam
Prayers were performed for nine days during Sarannavaratri. Kalyanotsavam of the deities was performed by priest on midnight and the idols were taken out in a procession atop a wooden horse (Aswa vahanam) by devotees
Victory of good over evil
Banni is celebrated on the night of Vijayadasami marking the victory of Lord Parameswara and Parvati Devi over demons Mani and Mallasura who troubled the saints of Devaragattu