Tens of thousands of devotees congregated to witness the annual Sri Kanaka Durgamma Sidi here on Tuesday.

Sri Kanaka Durgamma is the principal deity of the city and devotees spread across not only Ballari but also from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh come to witness the event and also worship the goddess.

As has been the practice during the Sidi Bandi festival, an idol, symbolising evil, is hung on a pole with hooks, and tied to a cart pulled by three pairs of bullocks, owned by the Ganiga community, and taken round the temple thrice with the belief that it would protect all from evils.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Ballari – February 28th, 2018