Chamarajanagara: Thousands of devotees witnessed Seegamaramma Temple Narabali (human sacrifice) festival held from the midnight of Monday May 9 to morning of Tuesday May 10. The temple situated in Palya Village in Kollegala Taluk of Chamarajanagara District attracted a huge number of devotees as this festival was held after 19 years.
All the communities, irrespective of caste and creed, unitedly celebrated this unique festival with pomp. The miracle of this festival is that a human is sacrificed to the goddess at night and in the morning the dead man will get up alive after sprinkling with Theertha (holy water).
The festival began on April 24 and will conclude on May 18. The devotees believe that performing the human sacrifice ritual is good and will benefit the village.
During the celebration, five processions from different temples start at night and culminated at the central junction of the village. A scheduled tribe person is identified for sacrifice months before the festival. When the processions culminate the archak sprinkles the Theertha on the person, and he loses his consciousness. Then he is taken to a sacrifice place. The Seegamaramma Temple priest will come and step his foot on the chest of the sacrificed man. Devotees believe that the man loses his life after this.
Following this, the body of the man is taken to Maramma Temple in procession. The devotees throw the body up in the air. Then the body is kept in front of the temple and people offer pooja. After applying turmeric and vermillion, people were allowed for darshan till 8.45 am. Then theertha from Olagere Huchchamma Temple from Gundegala will be brought in the procession. When the Theertha is sprinkled on the dead person’s body, he gets up. Then he is taken in procession to Seegamaramma Temple and offered pooja.
Devotees believe that Seegamaramma Devi claims life and Olagere Huchchamma Devi, sister of Seegamaramma Devi gives life. The last time pooja was held in the village was in 2003. The festival is held once in three years. During the celebration, Seegamaramma devotees do not consume non-veg food or food from the hotel.
