Halligattu: BOAD Festival and Village Traditions

Halligattu is shaped by the BOAD Festival, celebrated annually in the third week of May. It is held in honor of Sri Bhadrakali and the other village deities. The customs take place at different times of day and in different locations, including sacred groves, the Bhadrakali Temple, Ain mane, and a field near the temple. Prayers, rituals, and a procession form distinct parts of the festival.

The preceding week and the Namme katt

In the week before the main festival, villagers announce the Namme katt at the Bhadrakali Temple. During this time, they must not harm plants or animals, and restrictions also apply to foods that may be eaten. The Namme katt is thus tied to the period before the main festival. To understand the timing of the BOAD Festival, it is useful to distinguish this preceding week from the customs observed over the festival weekend.

Groves, prayers, and nighttime rituals

The opening on Saturday begins in the sacred grove of Polavappa. There, a Panika is possessed by the spirit of Polavappa and blesses the villagers. Another custom takes place late in the evening in the sacred forest of Gundiath Aiyappa: the men of the village gather there, honor its guardian spirit, and pray to Gundiath Aiyappa.

Late at night, villagers gather at Chammatira Ain mane for the Kali. Men dress as figures such as Choole, Vadda, and Kindari Jogi, and dance to talli paat. Bhadrakali is invoked, and she takes possession of a man from the Machiyanda family. The gatherings differ in their locations and activities: a blessing in the grove is followed by prayer and worship in the forest, then by the nighttime performance for the Kali.

Procession and band kali

On Sunday afternoon, two Kudure representing the village deities are decorated. Together with the Moga, they are carried in a procession to the Bhadrakali Temple. The temple is also the focal point for the band kali: villagers dance in a field near the temple and throw earth from the sacred pond. Only men of the village may take part in this ritual; guests and women are excluded from the band kali. This restriction applies to participation in this specific practice.

The Kali and the Ain mane

During the Kali, the village men visit the Ain mane of Machiyanda and Mooklera together with Kali and the goddess. The present-day observance differs from its earlier form: in the past, the Kali visited every house in the village; today, it is limited to three Ain mane. The change concerns the extent of the ritual route, not the times mentioned or the procession to the temple. The Kali can therefore be understood as a distinct festival custom, separate from the blessings, prayers, and dances at other stops.

Planning a visit to Halligattu during the festival season

For your trip planning, the annual BOAD Festival provides a date to plan around: it takes place in the third week of May, while the individual customs are associated with different times of day and locations.

Discover more destinations: Ulugulli, Kadagadal, Hoskeri, Kushalnagar, Abyathamangala, Badagabanangala, Karadigodu, Katakeri Rural.

For the overview of the wider region: Kodagu.