Pandemic dampens 'Kail Pold' celebrations

Kail Pold festival was celebrated in a simple way in the Nalkunadu region on Sunday.

The festival highlights the importance of rural games such as coconut shooting, lemon-spoon race and so on.

However, owing to the Covid-19 restrictions, the celebrations were kept at a low profile with a limited number of people.

'Kail Pold' has not been held on a grand scale for the past two years, due to floods and landslides.

Last year and this year, the festive spirit was dampened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, the festival fell on Sunday when the weekend lockdown is in place.

Youth associations of Makki Shastavu Yuvaka Sangha, Bhagawathi Yuvaka Sangha, Apollo Yuvaka Sangha and Peruru Yuvaka Sangha refrained from organising sports events as a part of Kail Pold.

'Kail' means weapon and 'Pold' means to worship. Therefore, Kail Pold is also termed as Ayudha Puja in the region.

In the olden days, the usage of weapons such as guns and sickles was banned in Simha month of Hindu almanac and the weapons were placed in the 'Kannikombare', a separate place in the house.

The weapons were taken out after the completion of agricultural activities of the season and a puja was offered to the weapons.

In the district, Kail Pold is celebrated on September 3 and in Nalkunadu limits, the festival was celebrated on Sunday. A puja was offered to the weapons on the occasion.

Napoklu Bhagavathi Yuvaka Sangha president Devi Devaiah and secretary Shivachaliyanda Kishore Bopanna said that the festival was observed symbolically this year and sports activities have been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.