Pidakala War

The Pidakala War (also known as the Pidakala Samaram or Peddanuggulata) is an annual cow dung fight held in the village of Kairuppala, Aspari, in the Kurnool district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is held on the day after the Ugadi festival that marks the new year under the Hindu calendar.

The staging of the fight is based on Hindu folklore, which states that after a dispute had arisen regarding the proposed marriage between two gods, a cow dung fight broke out. It is said that the annual cow dung fight brings good health, as well as rain and prosperity to the village. The fighting is involved enough that some participants are injured during the fight.

Legend
According to Hindu folklore, before a marriage between the goddess Bhadrakali and the god Virabhadra, there was a dispute. Sources appear to vary regarding the basis of the dispute: The Hans India states that Bhadrakali was angered by Virabhadra's unexpected advances and threatened to throw cow dung at him, while The New Indian Express states that the couple was separated for some time following an affair.

At one point, villagers supporting Bhadrakali began throwing cow dung at Virabhadra, and villagers supporting Virabhadra responded with cow dung as well. The fight lasted for about an hour before the leaders of the village settled the situation and the marriage between the two gods was held.

Festival
Villagers of Kairuppala traditionally observe the cow dung fight and the marriage between the two gods by holding an annual cow dung fight on the day after Ugadi, the first day of the year under the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The village is split into two sides: the Dalit, Kuruba, and Yadava communities on one side representing Bhadrakali; and the Lingayat, Reddy, and Muslim communities on the other representing Virabhadra.

Hundreds of people take part in the fight. There is a large police presence at the festival in order to avoid seriously unruly incidents. Injuries do occur, but no complaints are filed. After the end of the fight, the village celebrates the marriage of Virabhadra and Bhadrakali, together.

Locals say that the cow dung fight can be good for everyone's health, and that the annual ritual brings prosperity, as well as rainfall and other favorable weather conditions to the village.

Recent years
In 2012, about 15 people were injured, but no complaints were filed. In 2022, a local official reported that up to 50 people sustained injuries, but the police received no complaints.

In 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, despite India suffering one of the world's worst outbreaks and experiencing a recent surge in cases at the time, special permission to hold the festival was granted. That year, a video of a crowd of maskless festivalgoers throwing dung during a pandemic sparked outrage online. A police official stated that about 100 people were injured, but no one complained.

Similar festivals

 * Carnival of Ivrea – an orange fight in Italy
 * Gorehabba – a cow dung fight following Diwali in India
 * Haro Wine Festival – a wine fight in Spain
 * La Tomatina – a tomato fight in Spain
 * Songkran – during which water fights are held in Thailand