They walk from village to village singing praises of the Goddess, wearing colourful clothes, carrying whips and sometimes striking their own bodies. But why do the Potraj devotees of Maharashtra and Karnataka follow this intense form of devotion? Behind their unusual appearance lies a centuries-old religious tradition connected with village goddesses, vows and a life dedicated to worship. For Potraj devotees, the whip is not merely an object they carry. It can express their understanding of devotion, discipline and surrender to the Goddess. But the deeper meaning of this practice is more complex than it first appears
