Narayanpet: Devotees throng village to offer prayers to scorpion god

Narayanpet: The unique tradition of scorpion worship (Tella Panchami) was observed by the people of Kandukuru village bordering Narayanpet district in Yadgir of Karnataka on Tuesday.

Devotees from across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karanataka and Maharashtra States visited the Kondamavva Gutta hill shrine in Kanduru village and offered prayers to the idols of scorpions.

In fact, every year during the first week of August people in Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh celebrate the 'Nagula Panchami' festival and offer prayers to snake god. But here in Kandukur village on outskirts of Narayanpet district, contrary to the Nagula Panchami festival, the people here offer prayers to the scorpion idols instead of snake god.

Marking the occasion many people offer milk to the scorpions and they also observe the tradition of searching for the scorpions hidden under the stones while climbing the Kondamavva hill to take darshan of the scorpion god idols and later on they perform grand puja to the idols and seek the blessings of scorpion god.

As part of their celebrations, the devotees and people from various places come here to offer prayers. The local devotees follow the tradition of searching for scorpions under the rocks, inside the bushes and trees and put them on tongue, face and other body parts and perform play full acts.

The devotees believe that on this day of 'Tella Panchami' the scorpions do not sting and they say that scorpion god gives them, blessings and do not cause any harm to them.

"Tella Panchami' is a unique tradition of scorpion festival celebrated by people. Thousands of devotees from different States flocked at Kandukur village and offer prayers to the scorpion god and seek the blessings of the god," informed Hanumanthu, a resident of Narayanpet, who visits the Kondamavva hill shrine every year to offer prayers to the scorpion god.

Karnataka police had made elaborate arrangements and has taken all necessary measures to ensure that no untoward incident occurs at the festival site.

In fact last two years, the Tella Panchami was performed as a low key affair due to restrictions of Corona virus, however, as the Covid pandemic has got completely subsided, the people of Narayanapet and surrounding region are once again thronging the Kondamavva hill and offering traditional prayers to the scorpion god idols.