DUSSEHRA
The Festivities :
Dussehra is known for
festivities from quite some time. The celebrations take varied forms ranging from street
shows to processions.
Navaratri Celebrations :
Huge idols of the Goddess as Mahishausra mardini are erected on stages and different
rituals are followed during these ten days, the most important being –
- Durgashtami – fast and worship.
- Maharnavami – tanatalising sweet meat
offerings to the deity.
- Vijayadasami – procession of the
Goddess and immersion of the idol in the river or lake in vicinity.
Several cultural programs
including the mythological plays are also staged on the occasion on regular basis.
Pagati Veshalu
and Puli Vesham
stand as the major attractions in villages and small towns on the occasion of Dussehra.
 Bommala Koluvu : Colourful Rangoli is made and dolls are arranged in
every household to connote a welcome note for the Almighty. Inclusion of idols of ‘Dasaavataras’,
that are rendered auspicious even otherwise, is a compulsion for the Bommala Koluvu.
The Koluvu or the display is offered prayers and aarti every day and is removed
after Vijaya Dasami. It is also customary to buy atleast one new doll every year for the Koluvu.
The practice, however is not in vogue with the Telangana people.
Pappu Bellalu : This
is a festivity with purpose that is no longer in vogue now. In those days, the school
students, attired in colorful dresses, along with their teachers used to visit the houses
of the town collecting donations for the school and demanding Pappu Bellalu (i.e.,
sweets) for the children. This then served as the informal parent-teacher meet in those
days.
Jammi : The leaves
of Jammi are exchanged in the name of gold between all the known ones as a sign of wishing
the welfare of the others. The practice of this festivity is in vogue in the Telangana
region.
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