Devotees whip themselves in hope of TN's Poosaripalayam

Scores of devotees whipped themselves with ropes as part of a ritual at Poosaripalayam's Adaikalamman Temple in Tamil Nadu.

Male devotees painted in sandalwood powder, garland around their neck were engrossed in dancing on the beats of the instruments and whipping themselves.

As per the villagers, the ritual has been being performed in the temple for the past 800 years and it all started when a washer man picked a wooden box from a nearby river flowing in the opposite direction.

The villagers said there was a statue, a whipping rope, a bow and an arrow in the box, which was kept inside the Adaikalamman temple.

Following this incident, the villagers started to celebrate this day with a belief to attain 'divine power' and for the welfare of the village.