Bizarre customs and superstitions are part and parcel of Indian culture. Now, a temple in Vellalur in Madurai has caught the public's eye for its strange ritual.
As part of the festival at Yezhaikaatha Amman Temple that begins on the last Tuesday of Tamil month Aavani, seven minor girls, who are handpicked by the priest, stay at the temple with him for 15 days to offer services to Goddess.
On the last day, they would be paraded half-naked adorning sarees like wrap-around skirts and jewellery for almost seven km.
"Seven girls are selected on the last day of Aavani. With the blessing of Goddess, I, the priest of the temple choose them without any bias. This year, seven girls from 11 clans were selected. They stay with me for 15 days and do services to Goddess. On the last day, we walk seven km to the main temple with fermented rice concoction. After abhishekam, we bring the girls back to Vellalur temple," Vadavelvi Veerapandiya Nallur, the priest of the temple, told Covai Post.
The unusual ritual recently made headlines after a video surfaced online. Following this, the local authorities have issued orders to allow girls to cover their bodies so that they are not harassed or abused.
However, it is learnt that parents voluntarily send their daughters who haven't attained puberty for the ritual, which is part of an ancient custom. They are considered as angels who get a chance to serve Goddess.
Though parents have been advised to cover the girls with a shawl, Madurai Collector K Veera Raghava Rao has reportedly indicated that the strange practice cannot be stopped completely as it might hurt religious sentiments. More than 60 villages participate in this festival.
