The ritual involves participants whipping their bodies with palm leaves that have been dipped in a heated mix of water and turmeric powder.

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We would begin praying and sprinkling these rather ordinary implements with yellow turmeric powder, red roli powder, grains of rice, holy water, and flower petals.

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According to my gastric guardian, I had nothing to fear from the vada (pronounced "wahda") a mixture of chunky mashed potatoes, curry leaves, cilantro, mustard seeds and other spices, dipped in a turmeric- and chili-powder-laced chickpea flour batter, then deep fried.

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