Punching each other is a common bar brawl or a street affair. But at Hunsa village lying on the Maharashtra border in Bodhan mandal, 35 km west of this district headquarters town, it’s a time-honoured Holi tradition.
Barring women and children, men indulge in fisticuffs during sunset on Holi.
Villagers have been observing this practice every year despite restrictions from police, as they fear if the tradition is stopped, it would be inauspicious for the village. The residents, predominantly farmers, speak three languages – Telugu, Kannada and Marathi – as Hunsa, on the banks of river Manjira, is a few kilometres away from Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Here’s how the punching match goes. Wooden poles are placed in the heart of the village and a long rope is tied to the both the poles and villagers, standing in opposite sides, would land punches on each other. Despite sustaining bleeding injuries, they do not stop the ritual that lasts for 30 minutes.
To begin the celebrations, the villagers burn the effigy of mythological demon Kama on the eve of Holi and celebrate the festival the following day. In the evening, the fisticuffs follows.
Punch, bleed and heal
The participants believe that injuries sustained in the fight would heal soon as they apply ash from the burnt Kama the night before. They also conduct a jatara (village festival) on the occasion. People from the district as well as from bordering States also witness the punching game.
The fist-fighting held on Thursday was witnessed by hundreds of people. The police had made elaborate security arrangements for the event and it passed off peacefully.
