Mangaluru Devotees Play Fire Ritual at Kateel Temple
Devotees at the Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple near Mangaluru took part in the annual festival “Thootedhara” or “Agni Keli”, where they throw burning palm fronds at each other in a dramatic display of faith.
The ritual, held outside the temple on an island in the river Nandini, draws large crowds who gather to witness this fiery yet sacred tradition dedicated to Goddess Durgaparameshwari.
The fire‑wielding participants, mostly bare‑chested men in dhotis, are divided into two groups and stand about 15–20 metres apart, hurling lit fronds for around 15 minutes.
Many observers consider the ritual hazardous, but for the devotees, it is a centuries‑old way to please the deity, rooted in local belief and community identity.
The same participants usually observe eight days of fasting and abstinence from meat and alcohol during the temple festival.
The Thootedhara/Agni Keli highlights the unique blend of martial spirit, devotion, and local tradition at the Durgaparameshwari Temple, one of the oldest and most significant Shakti shrines in coastal Karnataka.
The ritual, often featured in travel and cultural reports, underscores how Sanatana Dharma continues to express itself through vigorous, localized practices that combine danger, discipline, and divine surrender.
