Women whipped to ward off evil spirits

NAMAKKAL: Hundreds of people, most of them women, chant mantras while they are squatting on the ground in front of a temple, to get thrashed with whips by the priests, in a village near here.But, for the residents of Pavithram Vellalapatti, bordering Namakkal district, it is a customary ritual aimed at warding off evil spirits, which they assume have entered their body.On Thursday evening, hundreds of devotees were lined up in a long row and the priests cracked the whip. When the devotees raised both their arms, they were lashed with the whip. They believe that this would drive away the ‘ghosts’ in them. “I have been coming here for more than 11 years. ...I endure the pain of being thrashed with the whip”, said K Radha, a devotee.A temple administrator, K Varadharaj said, “This ritual is held on Viajadasami Day every year. People believe that Sri Achappan Swamy will bring fortune if they get beaten by in front of Him.”