Amsalli shree rajarajeshwari Devi bandi fastival

Honnavar:

In the village called as Amsalli shree rajarajeshwari Devi bandi fastival is done. Come May, it is the season for mangoes in Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar and Bhatkal taluks in Uttara Kannada.It is also the season for “Bandi Habba,” a folk festival.Basically, it is a festival for farmers to evoke the blessings of village deities before sowing.It is called “Bandi Habba” because in ancient daysthe deities were placed on a bandi (a cart with four wheels) and taken in a procession.The festival is celebrated for 3 to 12 days.During the festival, a small water pot (`kalasha’) iskept on a stone platform in the temple. The `kalasha’ is decorated with flowers and ornaments and the mask of the deity is placed at the centre of the platform.Every day during the festival, the head priest, carries the `kalasha’ on his head and goes in a procession.