KURNOOL: Efforts by the district administration notwithstanding, the annual ‘banni’ utsavam was held in a grand manner at Devaragattu hill on the outskirts of Neradi village in Holagunda mandal on Thursday night. About four lakh people from various places thronged the hill to watch the fete while 3,000 devotees clashed with each other with sticks, as part of ‘banni’ celebrations.About 91 people suffered injuries and four of them, who were hurt seriously, were admitted to Adoni government hospital. The remaining were shifted to Alur hospital.According to folklore, lord Siva took the form of Bhairava to kill two rakshasas-- Mani and Mallasura. He killed the two demons by fighting with sticks and ensured that there was no problem to the humanity.People consider that severe injuries leading to oozing of blood, during the fight with sticks, are a good omen. In accordance with the belief, villagers of Neladiki, Neraniki thanda and Kothapet -- representing the followers of the lord, at midnight on Dasara, take the idols of Mala Malleswara Swamy from Devaragattu to their respective villages when villagers of Ellarti, Arikera, Maddigeri, Nitranatta, Sulavai and Hebbetam, representing the followers of demons, obstruct them.In this process, both groups fight ferociously with sticks. However, none of the groups file cases against the other despite severe injuries. Though they fight hard on this day, they bear no personal grudge against each other.
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