New Delhi (Sputnik): October-November is the time for exhilarating Indian festivals which are common to most parts of the vast country. However, there are certain pockets in India that celebrate festivals that are not only exclusive to the area, but also extremely extraordinary and sometimes bizarre.
READ MORE: Indian State Adopts 'Cow Therapy' to Reform Prisoners
The Kannada-speaking population of the southern state of Tamil Nadu celebrates "Gore Habba," a festival that is marked by slinging of cow-dung on each other in what is considered a cleansing and healing ritual. The festival is exclusive to the Gumatapura and Talavadi villages in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu.
"It's an annual ritual we have been celebrating for many years. I have seen generations of my family taking part in this annual festival. I don't know how this unique festival became part and parcel of our village tradition. But we all celebrate it with enthusiasm. We believe that the cow dung has special healing power. Further, the Gore Habba binds our village folks together," Rajiv Sathyanarayan, a resident of Gumatapur, told Sputnik.