Villagers of all ages in south India literally wallowed in cow dung on 30 October as part of a unique festival in a mix of unbridled enthusiasm and piety.

Cow dung from thousands of cattle in Thalavadi, Tamil Nadu and other surrounding villages, was piled up in heaps for people to grab handfuls and splat on one other.

The villagers who described the festival as ‘Goraihabba’ say the absence of rainfall coinciding with the event celebration on the third day after Deepawalli, a Hindu religious festival.

The villagers prayed to their deity all through their celebration, smearing one another with cow dung to rid their village of all ailments and hardships.

The celebration began with a group of villagers having a bath together at the village tank and going in a procession to the temple to the accompaniment of drum beats.

Villagers in southern India representing three generations literally wallowed in cow dung on 30 October with a mix of unbridled enthusiasm and piety.

The Cow dung of More than 3,000 cattle in Gautampura and surrounding villages was piled up in heaps on which they held handfuls and splashed on one other. The villagers who described the festival as ‘Goraihabba’ say the absence of rainfall coinciding with the event celebration on the third day after Depawalli (Hindu religious festival),

The villagers prayed to their deity all through their celebration entailed smearing one another with cow dung for ridding their village of all ailments and hardships.
The celebration began with a group of villagers having a bath together at the village tank and going in a procession to the temple to the accompaniment of drum beats.

Film & DOP By Durgesh Kumar Yellappa
Megha India Photo Agency (Mipanews.com)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India