Claim : A viral video shows priests fighting over money from a donation box in Karnataka, suggesting corruption and mismanagement in temple donations.
Conclusion : Misrepresentation. The video actually depicts the traditional Agni Kheli or Thoothedhara ritual in Kateel town, Mangaluru, and not a fight over temple donations.
Rating : Misrepresentation — 
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A viral video is being circulated on various social media platforms suggesting that priests were fighting over a donation box.
This X post by the user Surya Raj नागवंशी on July 7, 2025 included a video from the ritual with the caption in Hindi:
भिखारियों को दान पेटी में से हिस्सा नहीं मिला तो आपस में ही भीड़ गए!!! ये धंधा नहीं तो क्या है????
Translated, the post reads: “They didn’t get a share from the donation box, so they fought among themselves!!! If this is not a business, then what is it????!!!”
भिखारियों को दान पेटी में से हिस्सा नहीं मिला तो आपस में ही भीड़ गए!!!
ये धंधा नहीं तो क्या है????!!! pic.twitter.com/chKzjIoSHQ— Surya Raj नागवंशी (@su66901) July 7, 2025
Another post in facebook reads: “दान पेटी में से हिस्सा नहीं मिला तो आपस में ही भीड़ गए, मंदिर में सारा मामला दान दक्षिण का है ”
Translation reads: “They didn’t get a share from the donation box, so they fought among themselves! The whole matter in the temple is about donations.”
FACT CHECK
DigitEYE India Team took key frames from video and when performed a reverse image search on these frames, it led us to the Agni Kheli Ritual. Also known as Thoothedhara, it dates back to the pre-17th century and is held annually in April at the Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple in Kateel town, Mangaluru, Karnataka.
What’s Thootedara?
A Ritual Where Devotees Play With Fire, Throw Burning Palm Fronds/sticks at each other as a Part of the Annual Festival at Sri Durga Parameshwari Temple, Kateel, Mangaluru. Devotees wearing orange dhotis smear their body with ashes and stand 15 to 20 metres apart from the opposing group. They throw burning palm fronds at each other and the ritual lasts around fifteen minutes and after that they enter Temple. During this festival, devotees fast for 8 days and celebrate grandly. This ritual is symbolic and is seen as a way of driving away negative energy.
Find below a youtube video by ABP Desam explaining about the festival in telugu.
An informative article by the Hindustan Times posted on 23 April, 2022 further sheds light on the Agni Kheli Ritual at Karnataka.
Thus, the Agni Kheli ritual video has been misused to create a false narrative. The claim about priests fighting is entirely fabricated and misrepresents the cultural and religious significance of the event.
Hence the claim is false.
