Karnataka's Bunts community dips child in cold water as ritual

Vittala (Karnataka), Dec.19 (ANI): The Bunts community of Karnataka dipped small children in the cold water during winter season to seek the divine blessings as part of a ritual at the temple of Goddess Ullalthi near Vittala village.

Kepu-Vittala village is around 30 kilometres off the Mangalore.

Children, aged below five years, bear it by crying.

Dayanan, a devotee from Mumbai, said for the well being of their children they come to this place.

"This tradition has been going on from past many years and we all are very happy by this tradition. We offer our children to Goddess Ullathi for the well being of them," said Dayanan.

People dip their children in cold waters of the pond in front of the temple followed by worship at the temple.

It is a tradition among the Bunts that each child born in the Kepu-Vittala region should be brought to this temple of Goddess Ulllathi.

The locals believe it as a custom, which has been practised for the past 1000 years.

According to them, Goddess Ulllathi had blessed a Bunt community with prosperity and asked every other family to bring the children born in the region to her temple. By Harish Nayak (ANI)