The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Sankranthi a cultural festival in all its glory

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Monday, Jan 04, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Sankranthi a cultural festival in all its glory

Festival time: Gangireddu - the decorated bull – is a great favourite with children during Sankranthi.

If the rich cultural heritage of Andhra Pradesh in its pristine glory manifests in any festival, it is Sankranthi, considered the most important festival of the State. With the harvest season over, the euphoria of the fruits of soil reaped in abundance and secure in the barns, it is time for celebrations and of course, thanksgiving. The pleasant winter, the radiant marigold flowers in full bloom, and the inviting ripe berries and fruit provide the right ambience.

Month-long prayers are offered and alms given away to the poor and the needy. The oracle, called Budabudakkulavadu, the countryside artists in fancy dress, the man with the festooned bull – Gangireddulavadu, all symbols of cultural elegance, become beneficiaries of the munificence showered during the festivities stretched over four days – Bhogi, Sakranthi, Kanuma and Mukkanuma, making it Peddapanduga or Big Festival. The daughters and sons-in-law obviously arrive to join the party and share the joyous moments.

The festival follows the harvest season and large-scale arrangements are made well in advance. A bell fry is set up in the local Ammavari temple exactly one month before Sankranthi in the villages, to mark the beginning of the preparations which include whitewashing of houses, cleaning of the exteriors and premises, and drawing of rangolis in the front yard. Though there are several patterns of rangolis, the chariot or Ratham form is invarably drawn during Dhanurmasam which begins exactly one month before the Pongal festival. In the evening, the flowers of gobi and pumpkin are kept on the rangolis and girls perform ‘Gobbillu’ or ‘Garbha’ dance around them. They also do ‘Kolattam’, executing different choreographical patterns in unison to the tune for rhythmic dance.

The rural artists of fancy dress pour into the village and make the local Rama temple their home, from where they turn out in different attires like Virabahu or the undertaker who bought Satyaharischandra, the Ramalakshmanas and Surpanakha, the orthodox Brahmin couple of Somi and Somayya to make mockery of superstitions, beginning with the Budabudakkalavadu who calls on the residents in the small hours to predict their future.

More popular of these attires is Arthanareeswara, for, it takes lot of effort to be dressed as half-man and half-woman, for form of Lord Siva. The fancy dress parade ends with Tataki, the she-demon slain by Rama in the epic Ramayana. There are also the Satani Jeer and Dasari, Chenchus and Jangams who eke out their living by singing and seeking alms.

The most attractive is the festooned bull answering its master by nodding the head with has beautiful horns. The master mostly seeks old clothes though also accepts rice and small change. Only on the last day do they seek donations drawing positive response from the people who acknowledge their skills.

Dhanurmasam is a month of religious activity with bhajans held all night. The bhajan troupe goes out in the morning in biting chill to wake the residents to melodious devotional music. A bonfire is lit early in the morning on Bhogi, one day before Sankraanthi. The next day on Kanuma cattle are worshipped. The fourth day is Mukkanuma.

Prabhakkar Sharma

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