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Banni Festival

 The Banni festival is an unusual festival celebrated in Andhra Pradesh on the night of Dussehra every year.

 

 About the Festival

  • It is a traditional stickfight between two groups of devotees, with the objective of snatching the idols from God’s team.

 

  • The festival is believed to date back to the Vijayanagara Empire and is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Mala Malleswara Swamy and Goddess Parvati over the demonish Mani and Mallasura.

Rituals

  • The ritual takes place at midnight when the procession of  idols  of Malamma and Malleshwara Swamy are brought down the hill temple at Neraneki.

 

  • Devotees carry long sticks with them for hitting each other on  the head, with the basic idea of the fight being to capture the procession idol.

 

The Supreme Court had put a ban on the festival  in 2008, but the ritual has continued to be held over the years.