Hindu festival showers Indian town with turmeric
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee covered in turmeric goes into a trance during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee smeared in the spice turmeric prays during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee covered in the spice turmeric goes into a trance during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees are smeared in the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees cover themselves in the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees throw the spice turmeric on a horse as an offering during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee plays a horn in a crowd covered in the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo combo, devotees are covered in the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee applies the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees are smeared in the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees smeared in turmeric join the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees perform rituals during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, devotees hold a plate with turmeric as they offer prayers during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee’s shirt has handprints of the spice turmeric during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
In this Monday, June 3, 2019, photo, a devotee throws the spice turmeric as an offering to the deity during the celebration of the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, at the Jejuri temple in Pune district, Maharashtra state, India. During the festival, devotees use the golden powder to worship the deity Lord Khandoba, widely known as a descendant of the sun, and to celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
JEJURI, India (AP) — When the new moon coincides with a Monday, the small Indian town of Jejuri in western Maharashtra state sparkles with gold.
During the Bhandara Festival, or the Festival of Turmeric, which falls on Feb. 4, June 3 and Oct. 28 this year, devotees worship Lord Khandoba and celebrate his victory over the demons Mani and Malla.
There are more than 600 Khandoba temples across the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and northern and central Karnataka. However, as many as 600,000 devotees come especially to Jejuri to cover the town — and each other — in golden swirls of turmeric, a mild, earthy spice that in its powdered form is a vital component of Indian cuisine.
There are several explanations for the choice of this spice to celebrate Khandoba. The most common is the belief that Khandoba is a descendant of the sun god Surya and is often depicted with four arms holding bowls of turmeric that symbolize sunlight. In other interpretations, turmeric represents the gold that worshippers pray to Khandoba to receive.
During the festival, people show their devotion with ritual songs to Khandoba and make wishes.
Then men take the statue of Khandoba from the temple and carry it to the river for a traditional bath as crowds try to touch the idol for a blessing.
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