Photo: Lingaraj Panda

GOPIS OF TODAY: Girls performing `gobbi puja' and playing gopis during their worship of Lord Krishna in Berhampur on Sunday.

BERHAMPUR : The Telugu and Oriya populace have joined hands for Pongal festivities that begun in Ganjam and Gajapati districts of South Orissa.

Around 30 per cent of the population of these two districts adjoining Andhra Pradesh are Telugus having family ties in Andhra. Children and elders of Telugu as well Oriya families were seen enjoying the `Bhogi' bonfire to ward off the cold winter chill at the wee hours at almost all streets of the city.

Young girls in new dresses, decorated with flowers and ornaments performed the community worship of lord krishna as part of the `Gobbi' ritual that ends on the Makar Sankranti day.

These `Gopikas' moved from house to house sharing the festivities of Pongal. The Andhra Sanskruti Samity organised special literary and cultural functions in the city and Chatrapur on Monday to celebrate Pongal. A competition to test the `rangavalli' skills among girls would be held in the city.

On shopping spree

The markets of the city were crowded for Pongal shopping.

The ornament traders of the city also had increased sales as Telugu families reached out to buy gold ornaments as Pongal gifts.

According to Nageswar Rao of the city, this year the Telugu families are facing problems in preparing Pongal delicacies as the rate of black gram has reached around Rs. 50 per kilogram.

The Oriyas celebrated the Makar sankranti on Sunday, which coincides with the Pongal festivities.

It increased the sell of `dhanu muan', a sweet delicacy of Ganjam district.

This `muan' prepared with the use of sugar is famous throughout Orissa.

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