Gaiety, fervour mark Atla Taddi

​Pithapuram: Atla Taddi festival was celebrated with gaiety and fervour here on Tuesday. It is an important festival that occurs on the third day after the full moon in Aswayuja month of Telugu calendar. It is a popular belief that young women are blessed with marital bliss if they worship Goddess Gowri on this day. Married women also worship the Goddess on the festival day for prosperity and the family well-being.

Young and married women in their traditional finery participated in the festivities with enthusiasm. They worship the Goddess with flowers and fruits. Pancakes are offered to the Goddess as Naivedyam. The pancakes are made with batter of black gram and rice flour. After performing Gowri puja, women exchange `vayanam’ or offerings upholding the Atla Taddi tradition. The image or a small idol of Goddess Gowri is left in the river waters marking the conclusion of the festival.

`Uppu Potlam’, a traditional firework, is a special attraction of Atla Taddi festival in Godavari villages. The tradition of lighting up the fireworks in the late evening is still continuing in rural areas. Youngsters competed with one another in whirling the lighted `Uppu Potlams’, which provided a visual treat to onlookers.

By Saride Nageswara Rao