Kirugavalu Maramma Devi Folk Festival of Mandya

The Kirugavalu Maramma festival in Mandya district is one of Karnataka's largest and most distinctive village deity festivals, held every two years at the Maramma shrine in Kirugavalu village. The festival is characterised by the massive Brahmaratha chariot procession, folk sacrificial offerings, and the distinctive practice of carrying large decorated earthen pots of sacred water (kalasha) over long distances by devotees who observe ritual fasts. The Maramma deity is a Gramadevathe (village goddess) worshipped by all communities across caste boundaries. The festival's music ensemble includes the dolu (barrel drum), tamate (flat drum), and flute, played continuously for the three days of the main festival. Mandya district has several hundred Gramadevathe shrines, each maintaining distinct annual festival traditions.