Devotees flock to ghost fair in India to purge evil spirits

A devotee, believed to be possessed by evil spirits, cries as she performs a fire ritual on the sacred platform at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A man pulls the hair of a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits as she goes into a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits shouts slogans as she runs in a state of trance around the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits cries in a state of trance while being confronted by her relatives at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Relatives of a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits hold him as he walks in a state of trance around the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee, believed to be possessed by evil spirits, cries in a state of trance as she walks around the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Relatives of a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits take off her jewellery before performing rituals at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits cries in a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A man tries to hold a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits as she goes into a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A Hindu priest pulls back a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits before hitting her with a broom as she goes into a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A man pulls a devotee, believed to be possessed by evil spirits, by the hair as she goes into a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

Relatives of a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits, hold her as she runs in a state of trance around the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A man pulls devotees who are believed to be possessed by evil spirits by the hair while confronting them as they go into a state of trance at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A man holds a devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits by her hair while confronting her as she goes into a state of trance while lying on a sacred platform at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits lies on a sacred platform at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee, believed to be possessed by evil spirits, goes into a state of trance as she lies in the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 26, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits lies in a state of trance on a sacred platform at Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

A devotee who is believed to be possessed by evil spirits smokes a bidi as she walks around the courtyard of Guru Deoji Maharaj temple during a ghost fair at Malajpur village in Betul district in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Jan 27, 2013. --PHOTO: REUTERS