Gangireddulu Symbolize Sankranti Festivity 

By AS Joel Kumar

Deputy Bureau Chief

Sakshi TV

For Telugus, Sankranti is the biggest festival among all festivals.The festivities celebrated for three days reflect the traditional fervor. Be it rangoli by women folk in front yards of their homes, chanting of hymns by Haridasas and feats by well trained bulls. More so Sankranti is a harvest related festival so it is a time of joy and happiness in every home. This festival it is a hectic time for gangireddulavaru -- people who visit homes with their beautifully decorated bulls.

This centuries old tradition continues to survive despite all odds. A month before Sankranti they are spotted in all small towns and major cities in two Telugu states. One can see people who are heavily dressed with long mustache along with bulls, adorned with colourful saries, flowers tied around their horns and anklets in their legs visiting homes. Gangireddu (decorated bull) moves from one home to the other led by its master, who play nadaswaram. These bulls are trained to dance or perform acrobatics to entertain the crowd.

Gangireddulavaru also come to Hyderabad a month before the sankranti festival. Most of them come from few villages in Narsapur and Koudipally mandals of Medak district. They come in group of 20 to 30 and stay in open lands in Nizampet, Kukatpally and Madhapur.

Gangireddulavaru of Kagaz Maddur village in Narsapur have come and put up huts and settle near Nizampet area.

Daily morning they decorate their bulls with colourful clothes, tie anklets to their legs and begs around their neck. Once bull is decorated it is taken out into the streets with nadaswaram and drum beats. Krishna of Kagaz Maddur village, who coming to Hyderabad for the past 20 years says, "We go as a group of three along with the decorated bull and beg for alms. One plays nadaswaram, one plays drum and I make the bull to do the feats. Sometimes we are invited by some apartments owners and otherwise some house owners. This is only time we earn some money".

Kagaz Maddur villagers generally visit houses in Kukatpally. Borabonda, Balanagar, Shapur and Krishnanagar. Every day from morning till evening they visit atleast 40 houses. When asked Is it not difficult to walk all through the day with decorated bull drum player Somaiah says "Sir from our village which is 50 km away we come on foot with the decorated bull by seeking alms and reach Nizampet and after Sankranti we will do the same. For us walking 10 km a day is not an issue".

In Madhapur area, there is a locality named Parvatnagar where Gangireddulavaru from Koudipally mandal come and stay. They move around the lanes and bylanes of Madhapur and Hitech city. "Sir we come here during sankranti and move around with the decorated bull and seek alms. Some give money, rice and clothes. Few of them even give eatables which prepared for festival", says Mahesh of Koudipally.

Feeding the bull in Hyderabad is a major issue faced by the gangireddulavaru. They collect some waste from local rytu bazars and buy some grass locally. "If not we have to buy vegetables and feed the animal", says Narsimhulu who generally move around on the main thoroughfares of Kukatpally.

Gangireddula Aata or the bull play is a very popular from of dance in Telugu states. For this the bulls are trained by some Yadava sect gurus for one year. Later, Gangireddulavaru will take them to cities, towns and perform Gangireddu Aata. The master will play musical instrument nadaswaram and beat the drums and will make the bulls dance to the tunes. The feats of Gangireddu are pleasing. They can dance rhythematically , nod in acceptance, deny in negation, kneel down and prostrate, bow down and even it can stand on its master's chest.

In Hyderabad, in Shilparamam during Sanskranti Gangireddula Aata will be played in front of the public. Here bulls from Koudipally perform and entral the audience. "Gangireddulavaru whether they are performing in government programs or private programs what they earn is not that encouraging. We earn just surving and keeping the tradition alive" says Kistaiah of Koudipally, after shilparamam performance with his bull.

Even as Gangireddulavaru are trying their best to earn money during Sankranti season, back home their family members living conditions are pathetic. In Kagaz Maddur village there are 20 families belonging to Gangireddulavaru. In front of every houses one find cattle. The government houses they stay are in very bad condition. During raining season they cannot just stay as water seeps inside the houses. "Rainy season we just stay inside the house. So we have erected a hut to stay in emergency situations", says Pochama, who stays alone with her two children in the house during as her husband is in Nizampet during Sankranti.

Another woman Narsamma, who lost her husband 30 years ago did all kinds of odd jobs and got her two sons educated till 10 standard, expecting a small job. But that did not happen and finally had to go with bulls to city for begging. "In our community we generally do not educate our children. I tried my best to educate my sons. But my efforts went down the drain", says Narsamma.

In the village there are men who once took bulls to Hyderabad during Sanskranti and tried to make a living. But now as they are old they cannot do the same work anymore. "For 20 long years I visited Hyderabad during Sankranti with bulls and got some money. But now I m old and cannot do it. Just surviving on civil supplies ration which I get", says Bashaiah.

There are no internal roads in Kagaz Madur village where Gangireddulavaru families reside. No proper drainage system. "Whenever we contact our local our basic facilities they tell it will be done soon. But nothing seems to come our way"says local resident Bikshapathy.

When male members of the family are in Hyderabad during Sankranti tyring to earn money by seeking alms, their women folk in Kagaz Maddur, in the morning take their cattle from their homes and to nearby forest area to feed them. While they go into the forest area also women, prepare mats. "Yes every week we prepare one mat. In a month four mats we will prapre and sell them. This is the way we earn little money", says Yellamma, who husband in Hyderabad.

Once Sankranti is over, what might wonder what work Gangireddulavaru will do? During house dedication ceremonies they are called with the bull. If somebody dies, in their memory family members call gangireddulavaru with their bulls. In return gangireddulavaru will be given money or cattle. Some go as agriculture labour also.

"Gangireddulavaru are staying in Kagaz Maddur for many years. They are law abiding and live by their traditions. We are doing everything to help them. The government is also trying to construct new houses for them" says Kagaz Maddur sarpanch Shankaraiah.

Year after Sankranti festival is coming. Over the years governments are changing but the condition of gangiredduvaru is not changing much. Though they are protecting centuries old art form and bringing to before us their conditions are not improving. They belong to BC community and government should initiate steps that could improve their living standards.It is time Gangiredduvaru, who are truly the brand ambassadors of Sankranti festival are protected.