Agni Keli: Devotees engage in ritualistic battle of flames

For one day in April each year, a unique scene plays out in Karnataka's Durga Parameswari temple, wherein scores of men hurl burning palm fronds at each other as part of a ritualistic battle to appease Goddess Durga.

Mangaluru: The situation seems tense, as a group of men stand ready with a burning torch aloft in their hands, face-to-face with another group armed with the same weapons. The battle then starts, with men frantically hurling their burning clubs on the others, who try to dodge the flames, while launching their own in retaliation.

Though one could easily misread the above as a violent riot, it is, in fact, a part of a spectacular Hindu festival.

Each year in April, an eight-day festival is celebrated at the Kateel Durga Parameswari Temple in Karnataka's Mangaluru. All enthusiasm is reserved for the second night of the festival, when the unique custom of 'Agni Keli' takes place.

As part of the centuries-old tradition, scores of devotees gather at the temple to throw and get hit with burning palm fronds. Devotees carry out the bizzare competition to appease Goddess Durga.

The rules of the competition are pretty simple. The devotees, who are clad in a singular piece of a saffron dhoti, are split into two teams facing each other. Each member of the team has five throws to his name to strike the maximum number of opponents.

To avoid serious injuries, holy water 'Kumkumarchane' is kept ready to be sprayed upon the participants if they receive burns.

The match lasts for about 15 minutes. Once the ritualistic 'fiery' face-off is over, the participants walk into the temple to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga.

Hundreds of devotees also throng the temple just to watch the battle of the flames.