Kandkoor village in Yadgir district in Karnataka worships scorpions on Nag Panchami day. The villagers not only offer puja to scorpions but also take these venomous stingers in their hands, body, and face and allow them to move freely over their bodies.

Devotees young and old, women and men will throng to the temple on the village hillock in Kandakoor where they will first offer pooja to Goddess Kondammai who is said to be a scorpion goddess. Later, they search for scorpions, which will be found in plenty under the rocks and the stones of the semi-arid region. Having caught the venomous insects, the devotees proceed to play with them. Some let the creatures crawl over their bodies, some pop them into their mouths, letting the insect rest on their tongues for a few minutes. Children, too will enjoy playing with scorpions with no fear.

The devotees’ courage stems from the belief that Goddess Kondammai will save them should the scorpion bite. If bitten, they apply a paste of herbs, largely consisting of turmeric, on the wound. However, the devotees claim that no serious injury or death has occurred so far at the fair over the years.

Every year, in the month of Shravan, worshippers present deadly scorpions to the ruling deity. On that lucky day, everyone flocks to the hilltop. On their journey to the Kondalaraayudu Temple, they discover a great number of scorpions hidden behind the hill’s stones.

It is believed that the wishes of the devotees who offer scorpions to the lord are fulfilled. They look for scorpions on the hilltop under the stones and hold them in their hands without any fear. This tradition is years old and is celebrated with the same amount of enthusiasm even today.