Sunday, November 29, 2009

Kadlekai Pershe (Peanut Festival) in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru

This annual peanut festival predates the founding of the city of Bengaluru. Its held right around the corner from Alaka's house (Arpana's sister), at the big bull temple (hence this section is called Basavanagudi - basava is bull and gudi is temple). Apparently, this area was a peanut growing area. But during the full moon in november (Kartik month), bulls would appear out of nowhere and destroy the crops. Someone sacrificed a bull which turned to stone. This bull was believed to be Nandi, Shiva's vehicle and so was worshiped. The bull seemed to keep growing in size and to stop it from growing, they put Shiva's trident in its head and built a temple around it. The bull has not grown larger since. Every year in order to appease the bull, the local farmers offer peanuts to the bull temple before going to market to sell them. What you see here are peanut eating people. Its peanuts all over!

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