Villagers get ready for Udusalamma fest ritual

Residents of Hariharapura and neighbouring villages in Holenarsipur taluk are said to have been making preparations for Sidi, a ritual, which involves inserting hooks into human bodies, as part of Udusalamma festival to be held on April 3. The Karnataka Prevention and Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices and Black Magic Act, 2017, that came into effect on January 4, 2020, prohibits rituals that cause physical injury and involve piercing rods into the body. The ritual, which is also known as hook-swinging, involves inserting hooks into the flesh of the backs of people chosen for the ritual. Later they are tied to a long tree trunk, mounted on a wooden pedestal.