sAnKrAnThi MuSinGs....

Today its - Bhogi, first day of the 3 day Sankranthi festival. Having born and brought up in Hyderabad I do not have great expectations of Sankranthi while my mom has stories unending about her Sankranthi celebrations when they were there in their village. My mom hails from Guntur District of AP. 

All I know about Sankranthi is home made sweets, Kites, new movie releases (a sentiment for major blockbusters to be released) and yes Hyderabad roads become desolate. The barren roads of Hyd invite us with a broad smile. Most of the NRH’s (Non residents of Hyderabadi’s) move onto their native places and we are the kings again.

 Maudlin at times, after hearing to mom’s stories and today after speaking to my friend who has been to home for Sankranthi I feel I also need to check their kind of Sankranthi as well. Their definition of celebration is to stay with ur loved ones inside home and mine till date was to hang around with frenz Outside.

 Their Version of Sankranthi – Bonfire, Colorful Rangoli (we call it Muggulu), Get together of families (Babai,pinni,attayya,maamayya,ammamma…the entire bandwagon), Temple visits, special pooja’s, especially in coastal parts of Andhra new Son-in-laws get a Royal treatment from their In laws a tradition followed, Cock fights (Kodi-pandalu) though officially banned there are those flamboyant heads who donot care about them.

 Mom says people fight with cut-throat competition to prove that their Cock is the best - it’s a matter of pride. Palnati Yuddam kind of ones….

 Mouthwatering delicacies like Nethi Arisellu,Kobbari boorellu,Garelu,chakralu,Payasam never appear tiresome to keep u away from them. 3 days u end up only eating ,eating and eating with lot of affection wherein u will be forced to eat to make sure tat u do not hurt their emotions.

 “Sankranthi vachindi tummeda..Saradalu techindi tummeda …“ (forgot this song’s movie nameLL)

 Also Sankranthi is the time when we (my mom had these privileges) pay respect to our Ancestors. Grandfathers and great grand fathers expect their next generation fellows to pay obeisance to mark the new harvest season.

 Oops Sankranthi marks the First harvest season of the crop and is hence celebrated jubilantly. Also this is the most important festival which I believed was bcoz ur half yearly exams are done and u get a break of 15 days and also 3 new blockbuster movie's release – sadly my reasoning sounded insane.

 Mom kept on repeating “Kanna that’s why I tell you… choose a telugu girl who hails from such a village where atleast ur next generation will not miss this excitement “.

 Though I revert saying its my mom’s Emo-s-nal atyachaar, at times feel what she mentioned is also a point to be noted.

 Or else I end up smsing “Happy Sankranthi/Ugadi/Dussera/Diwali ”, and the celebrations remain the same routinely.

 “Choodamu ley amma…ivvala repu inni qualities unna ammayi dorakaalantey kashtam”

 Huhhhhh…ekkada ekkada ekkada undo taaraka……padahaaru anaaala teluginti aadapaduchu ekkada unaavey???