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Strange custom of offering live scorpions to God in Kurnool district
A strange custom except in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh state might have heard or seen elsewhere in the country.
Kurnool: A strange custom in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh state can be seen nowhere else in the country. The people of Kodumuru town in the district used to offer live scorpions as "Naivedyam" to the god. We all have seen people bestow blessing from their beloved god used to offer domestic animals like goat, sheep and other harmless ones.
But, the people of Kodumuru town during every "Sravana Somavaram" catch live scorpions and offer them to the god as "Naivedyam". Though the creature is poisonous and one meet death with its sting would do no harm on this day. It is very strange to notice that children catching them and offering to their beloved god, Kodandarayudu (Venkateswara Swamy), located on the hillocks of Kodumuru town in the district.
The custom has been in practice for over 60 years in Kodumuru town. The scorpion festival is celebrated with utmost devotion at Venkateshwara Swamy temple that is located on the hillocks of the town. And very particularly this festival takes place on the third Monday of "Sravana Masam" every year. The scorpion's sting, which is diabolic on other days, does not have any effect on the people on this day.
Devotees in huge numbers throng the temple to offer "Scorpion Naivedyam" to Lord Venkateshwara Swamy. It is believed that the couple that doesn't have the child visit Kodandarayudu (Venkateshwara Swamy) temple and garland the Lord with a scorpion to seek his blessings. It is learnt that several devotees from nook and corner of the district and other parts of adjacent states, Karnataka and Telangana would visit on this day and participate in the scorpion festival.
Temple management committee president, Manohar Reddy said that more than 15000 devotees from across the district and from the adjacent states had the darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy in Kodumur this year. All devotees try to catch scorpions beneath the rocks on the hills and offer a garland made of the reptiles to the lord, added Manohar Reddy.
