People & Culture: The Dusshera festival of Kulasekarapattinam Purushoth Appu After forty hard days of fasting and celibacy, these devotees enter the village with reverence. After worshipping the goddess and after completing their offerings, they are directed to the seashore where they put down their flaming pots and take a dip in the sea to end their fasting. On the midnight of Vijayadadami, the Mahishasurasamharam comes to an end with the Goddess slaying the demon named Majishasuran, which is eagerly watched by thousands of people in the seashore. As a way celebrate this divine victory, the goddess is taken around the village in her temple car. The next day, she is given an Abhishekam with milk and the devotees end their fasts by removing the holy thread in their hands. The way in which the crowd silently watched the battle between the goddess and the demon is very surprising. The entire festival revolves around interesting small incidents. The people dressed up as policemen behave very humbly without any form of authoritativeness. The way people talk and react to those dressed up as beggars, is also very astonishing. Children do not fear those who are dressed up as terrible creatures and demons. The main reason is that these children get accustomed to seeing these different costumes over the course of ten days as part of the festival. This festival that sees the onset of many people from across the country, got recognised for its religious value and unity by the official channels like The India Book of Records and The Asia Book of Records. By Purushoth Appu Mobile: 9884162526 Writer & Travel Photographer e.mail id: [email protected] A TO Z INDIA ● DECEMBER 2021 ● PAGE 29