Seven villages in Gundlupet taluk celebrate Balipadyami only on Wednesdays. Know why

CHAMARAJANAGAR: The Deepavali festival is being celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. But in these seven villages of Chamarajanagar, there is no celebration. The reason is that the festival falls on a Tuesday this year. The village folk will celebrate the festival only on Wednesday.

The seven villages in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district including Bendagalli, Veeranapura, Bannitalpur, Madrahalli, Nallur, Malavalli and Nenekatte, are not celebrating the festival today. The reason is that according to the Hindu calendar,  ‘Balipadyami’ falls on Tuesday.

Balipadyami is not celebrated on any other day of the week, except on Wednesdays, in these seven villages since ancient times. On Wednesday, the villagers wear new clothes and offer a special puja to God. The households take oil bath and a special festive meal is served at home.

For the past three generations, the people of these seven villages have followed the tradition of celebrating the festival only on Wednesdays.There is a myth that if the festival is celebrated on any day other than Wednesday, it will destroy the town.

It is believed that the cattle will die suddenly if Balipadyami is celebrated on any other day other than a Wednesday. So, for hundreds of years, the people of the surrounding 7 villages do not celebrate the festival on any other day. On Wednesday, theertha (holy water) is brought from the temple, and after worshipping the cows, they are taken around the villages.