BrockVanhoose67 at 04:19, 2 April 2026

2026-04-02T04:19:59Z

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{{Short description|Annual cow dung fight in Andhra Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
The '''Pidakala War''' is a local [[Hindu mythology|Hindu folklore]]-based annual [[cow dung]] fight held in the village of {{Interlanguage link|Kairuppala|te|కైరుప్పల}}, near [[Aspari]] in [[Kurnool district]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], India.{{r|deccanherald|hansindia}}

According to the village folklore, before a marriage between the goddess [[Bhadrakali]] and god [[Virabhadra]], there was a dispute.{{r|hansindia}} At one point, villagers supporting Bhadrakali began throwing cow dung at Virabhadra, and villagers supporting Virabhadra responded with cow dung as well.{{r|hansindia}} The fight lasted for about an hour before the leaders of the village settled the situation and the marriage between the two gods was held.{{r|hansindia|hindu}}

Similarly, the village is split into two sides representing various Hindu and Muslim communities.{{r|hansindia|hindu}} This celebration is assumed to have started in this village based on local traditions and is locally regarded as good for health.{{r|deccanherald|hansindia}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-07 |title=People are throwing cow dung at each other |url=https://metro.co.uk/2017/04/07/people-are-throwing-cow-dung-at-each-other-for-good-health-6559947/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Metro |language=en}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The [[Telugu language|Telugu]] term "''pidakalu''" refers to dried cow dung cakes used for fuel, and "''samaram''" means combat, war, or battle.{{r|hansindia}}

== Festival ==
Villagers of Kairuppala traditionally observe the cow dung fight and the marriage between the two gods by holding an annual cow dung fight on the day after [[Ugadi]].{{r|inshorts|hindu}} The village is split into two sides: the [[Dalit]], [[Kuruba]] and [[Yadava]] communities on one side representing [[Bhadrakali]]; and the [[Lingayatism|Lingayat]], Muslim and [[Reddy]] communities on the other representing [[Virabhadra]].{{r|hansindia|hindu}}

Hundreds of people take part in the fight.{{r|hansindia|mashable}} There is a large police presence at the festival in order to avoid seriously unruly incidents.{{r|hansindia}} Injuries do occur, but no complaints are filed.{{r|hansindia}} After the end of the fight, the village celebrates the marriage of Virabhadra and Bhadrakali, together.{{r|hindu}} Celebrations at [[Kallur, Kurnool district|Kallur]] in [[Kurnool]] city have their own significance. Annually, donkeys from over the city are forced to walk three times around the [[Chowdeshwari Temple|Chowdeswari]] Temple in a {{convert|3|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} puddle of mud made for that purpose, then they are washed, decorated and worshiped. Devotees gather in large numbers at the temple to witness this ritual, which is believed to bring peace to the city.{{r|hindu}}

== Legend ==
According to local Hindu folklore, before a marriage between the goddess [[Bhadrakali]]{{efn|Bhadrakali is sometimes referred to as "Kalika Devi".{{r|hansindia|hindu}}}} and the god [[Virabhadra]],{{efn|Virabhadra is sometimes referred to as "Veerabhadra Swamy".{{r|hindu|mashable}}}} there was a dispute.{{r|hansindia}} Sources appear to vary regarding the basis of the dispute: ''[[The Hans India]]'' states that Bhadrakali was angered by Virabhadra's unexpected advances and threatened to throw cow dung at him,{{r|hansindia}} while ''[[The New Indian Express]]'' states that the couple was separated for some time following an affair.{{r|newindianexpress.2012}} At one point, villagers supporting Bhadrakali began throwing cow dung at Virabhadra, and villagers supporting Virabhadra responded with cow dung as well.{{r|hansindia}} The fight lasted for about an hour before the leaders of the village settled the situation and the marriage between the two gods was held.{{r|hansindia|hindu}}

== Recent years ==
In 2012, about 15 people were injured, but no complaints were filed.{{r|newindianexpress.2012}} In 2022, a local official reported that up to 50 people sustained injuries, but the police received no complaints.{{r|newindianexpress.2022}} In 2021, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in India]], despite India suffering outbreaks and experiencing a recent surge in cases at the time, special permission to hold the festival was granted.{{r|deccanherald|mashable}} That year, a video of a crowd of maskless festivalgoers throwing cow dung during a pandemic sparked outrage online.{{r|mashable}} A police official stated that about 100 people were injured, but no one complained.{{r|hindu}}

== See also ==
* {{section link|Cattle in religion and mythology|Hinduism}}
* [[Gorehabba]] – a cow dung fight celebrated following [[Diwali]] in Gumatapura village, on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu<ref>{{cite news |last1=Madhav |first1=Pramod |title=Why does this Tamil Nadu village throw cow dung to end Diwali? |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/tamil-nadu/story/cow-dung-flinging-festival-chaniyadi-tamil-nadu-end-of-diwali-thalavadi-village-erode-2627614-2024-11-04 |work=India Today |agency=India Today |date=4 November 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Carnival of Ivrea]] – an orange fight in Italy
* [[La Tomatina]] – a tomato fight in Spain
== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="deccanherald">
{{Cite news |date=15 April 2021 |title=With no Covid fear, Andhra villagers hold 'Pidakala War' in Kurnool |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/video/national/south/with-no-covid-fear-andhra-villagers-hold-pidakala-war-in-kurnool-974611.html |newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528215710/https://www.deccanherald.com/video/national/south/with-no-covid-fear-andhra-villagers-hold-pidakala-war-in-kurnool-974611.html |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="hansindia">
{{Cite news |date=24 March 2023 |title=Cow dung fight fest denotes social harmony |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/cow-dung-fight-fest-denotes-social-harmony-789316 |newspaper=[[The Hans India]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528230447/https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/cow-dung-fight-fest-denotes-social-harmony-789316 |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="hindu">
{{Cite news |last=Susarla |first=Ramesh |date=15 April 2021 |title=Ushering in Ugadi by hurling cow dung |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ushering-in-ugadi-by-hurling-cow-dung/article34321362.ece |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528215847/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/ushering-in-ugadi-by-hurling-cow-dung/article34321362.ece |archive-date=2023-05-28}}</ref>
<ref name="inshorts">
{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Anmol |date=10 April 2019 |title=Andhra villagers throw cow dung at Sean Triece to mark Pidakala War |url=https://inshorts.com/en/news/andhra-villagers-throw-cow-dung-at-each-other-to-mark-pidakala-war-1554914734657 |website=[[Inshorts]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528215545/https://inshorts.com/en/news/andhra-villagers-throw-cow-dung-at-each-other-to-mark-pidakala-war-1554914734657 |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="mashable">
{{Cite web |last=Sahu |first=Sushri |date=16 April 2021 |title=Amid COVID-19 Spike, Hundreds Assemble And Hurl Cow Dung Cakes In Andhra Pradesh Village As Part Of Ugadi Celebration |url=https://in.mashable.com/culture/21616/amid-covid-19-spike-hundreds-assemble-and-hurl-cow-dung-cakes-in-andhra-pradesh-village-as-part-of-u |website=[[Mashable India]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528225353/https://in.mashable.com/culture/21616/amid-covid-19-spike-hundreds-assemble-and-hurl-cow-dung-cakes-in-andhra-pradesh-village-as-part-of-u |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="newindianexpress.2012">
{{Cite news |date=16 May 2012 |title=AP: Villagers fight with dung cakes |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2012/mar/25/ap-villagers-fight-with-dung-cakes-352002.html |newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528225357/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2012/mar/25/ap-villagers-fight-with-dung-cakes-352002.html |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="newindianexpress.2022">
{{Cite news |date=4 April 2022 |title=Cow dung fight, donkey parade mark Ugadi in Andhra's Kurnool |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2022/apr/04/cow-dung-fight-donkey-parade-mark-ugadi-in-andhras-kurnool-2437673.html |newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=2024-11-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230528215803/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2022/apr/04/cow-dung-fight-donkey-parade-mark-ugadi-in-andhras-kurnool-2437673.html |archive-date=2023-05-28 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}

[[Category:Annual events in India]]
[[Category:Festivals in Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Hindu culture]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals in India]]
[[Category:Hinduism and cattle]]
[[Category:Kurnool]]
[[Category:Manure]]
[[Category:Mock combat]]
[[Category:New Year in India]]
[[Category:Dalit culture]]
[[Category:Kuruba]]
[[Category:Lingayatism]]

Pidakala War - Revision history

BrockVanhoose67 at 04:19, 2 April 2026