Karnataka villagers observe Diwali as "dark day" for the past 200 years Davangere (Karnataka): Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated with grandeur all over the country. It is customary to celebrate the festival by wearing new clothes and bursting firecrackers. However, the people of Lokikere village in the Davangere district of Karnataka have not celebrated Diwali for the last couple of centuries.
The people of Davangere town also were not celebrating the festival of lights. The festival was abandoned because something ominous happened. The ominous incident took place on the day of the festival. Hence, people stopped celebrating the festival. Since then it has become customary that those living in Lokikere village and in Davangere town have been carrying forward this tradition from generation to generation.
No auspicious work is undertaken during the festival of lights. So, it is observed as a "dark day" or "inauspicious day" by the leaders, elder members of the community, and others. People of Lokikere village belonged to the Dalit community. On the occasion of Anjaneya Teru and Vijayadashami or Mahalaya Amavasya, people perform rituals remembering their ancestors. At that time they celebrate Diwali.
Villagers believe that if the festival is celebrated on Diwali day, it will cast some negative vibes or it will be ominous. On the occasion of Diwali, villagers visit the houses of their relatives who are settled in other towns amd they will stay with them.
What led to the stoppage of celebrations: About two centuries ago, some elders of Lokikere village had gone to the forest to fetch 'Kashi' grass to celebrate the festival. But they did not return. Village people searched for them, but none of them could be found. Hence, the Diwali festival was stopped thereafter. For anybody, who tried to celebrate the festival, something ominous happened to him or her.
Ramaswami and Obalappa, senior members of the village, said, "Diwali festival is not celebrated in Lokikere village. Those who went to bring Kashi grass and flowers never returned. So, the festival was abandoned believing that our forefathers would become angry and cast spells on us. Those who defied the custom faced the consequences."
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