Some unusual festivities kicked off in a village in Andhra Pradesh, central India, as villagers from there and neighbouring villages engaged in a friendly dungball fight, throwing 'pidakala' or cow-dung cakes at each other.

The fight symbolically references a Hindu myth of a divine marriage dispute between the goddess Bhadrakali and the god Veerabhadraswamy, and ends in a celebration of their wedding.

Devotees claim the festival brings health and prosperity to the village and despite many being injured, it is believed that all injuries can be cured in three days by performing special rites associated .

A day after Ugadi festivities, Andhra Pradesh’s Kairuppala village resounds with the thwack and tang of flying cow dung.The Pidakala War is organized a day after Ugadi in this village in Kurnool district. people from Kairuppala and neighbouring villages throw pidakala or cow-dung cakes at each other. The symbolic war occurs over a mythological marriage dispute.There are two sides to the battle, one group of fighters (of castes such as Golla and Kammara) throw cow dung in the name of Goddess Bhadrakali and the others (the rest) do so in the name of Lord Veerabhadraswamy. Finally, they all celebrate the wedding of Goddess Bhadrakali with Lord Veerabhadraswamy.Every year many gets injured in this ritual.Devotees believe that the practice brings health, prosperity and rains to the villages. It is believed any injuries or aches and pains suffered during the fight would be gone in three days by applying 'Tilak' of Lord Veerabhadraswamy on their forehead.