Berhampur: The Telugu community here in the Silk City is all set to celebrate Pongal or Sankranti festival with pomp and gaiety.
People have begun decorating their homes for the festival. The three-day festival beginning today (Sunday) is marked by colourful rangoli, traditional bonfires and cultural shows. The town had a lively atmosphere with people, filled with festive spirit, were seen buying new clothes and other things traditionally used during Pongal.
Pongal is known as the harvest festival for the Telugu community. The first day of Sankranti is celebrated as Bhogi. It also marks the closing ceremony of ‘Gobbi’, a month-long ritual celebrated by women. The second day of the festival is Makara Sankranti.
“Pongal is the biggest annual festival of the Telugu people who celebrate it across the country with enthusiasm and gaiety in association with others,” said a resident.
Several Telugu people, including women and children, assemble near a temple to celebrate the festival. Cultural functions and bonfires will be the main attractions. People in different localities lit the traditional bonfire to mark Bhogi.
Telugu girls decorated their houses with colourful rangolis, while many of them staged cultural shows. Clad in new attire, people of all age groups greeted each other in the town. They distributed the ‘pongali’ – the sweet dish prepared with the newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits and milk.
While celebrating the harvest festival, people thank the Sun God.
“We perform Dandia as we believe that Lord Krishna and Radha liked this dance very much,” said a dancer.
“Pongal is an auspicious day for us. We invoked the forefathers of the family and offered food to them,” said Shankar Rao, a businessman.
On the last day, Kanuma is celebrated. But in Berhampur, this festival is celebrated by the Telugu people in a low key. Kanuma basically is a festival of farmers when the cattle and the cattle-sheds are cleaned.
PNN
