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Close to a 100 believers of Lord Shiva dived into a bed of thorns at Golunche village, near Pune yesterday, on the occasion of Kartik Shuddha Dwadashi. Amazin-gly, the people of Gonlunche, known for its Jyotirlinga temple, have been following this tradition called Katebaras or Katemod for the past 100 years.



The Gaikwad clan in the village hoard babul thorns through the year for this famous tradition. On this occasion, the villagers take out a procession of Lord Shiva in a palanquin. When the procession returns to the temple, believers plunge into the heap of thorns one by one.

The participants often go into frenzy and refuse to step out of the thorns under what is believed to be a divine spell, said the villagers.

Dilip Patole, who has been taking the plunge for about nine years, said, "Due to the grace of Lord Shiva, I have never suffered any serious injuries. Minor injuries easily get cured after the holy ash is applied on it."

Coming home

The occasion holds such importance for the villagers that many who have migrated for better jobs also turn up for the celebration.

Jitendra Nigde, a reveller, said, "These thorns really hurt under normal circumstances, but these believers, who are under a divine spell, never suffer any injuries."

Jitendra, a lecturer at a Baramati engineering college, postponed his trip to the UK for further studies to be present for the occasion.

Vaman Nigde, a mechanical engineer who works in Mumbai, also made it back for the event.