In the coastal village of Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu , faith takes on an earthly form during Kulasai Dussera . Here, gods and goddesses descend to dwell among men—not through idols, but through devotees who embody the divine in a spectacle of trance, transformation, and devotion unlike any other festival in India. As India celebrates Dussehra with fireworks and effigies of Ravana, over eight lakh devotees converge at the 300-year-old Arulmigu Mutharamman Temple , where the air hums with chants, drums, and the sound of transformation itself. A Festival of Transformation The Kulasai Dussera, observed during Navaratri , spans ten days and culminates in the dramatic Soorasamharam , the slaying of the demon Mahishasura by Goddess Lalithambigai—an incarnation of Mutharamman , the fierce guardian deity of the town. Unlike Dussehra elsewhere, where the focus is on the Ramayana, the myth here centers on female divinity and creation’s power to restore mo...
This is a "Bauripara" Mansa Pujo, where Mother Mansa is worshipped, is a little different. Generally, Maa Mansa is worshiped with great passion in various rituals in different parts of Manbhum. The puja of this neighborhood is held in a house, where it is said that a few hundred years ago Ma Mansa herself told some Bauris about the puja house and puja rituals through a dream. And the specialty of the puja is to hit the mother-laden monk with a special long whip made of "karra" or grass. More importantly Mansa Puja, a different kind of emotion and joy can be observed in almost the entire neighbourhood. People like Fanibabu also take pleasure in their physical complications. I have shown some photographs of how he enjoys Mansa Puja every year. All images are subject to copyright ©SWATTIK JANA (swattikjana34@gmail.com)