Tribal villages in grip of festivities

Farming operations set to begin in agency area

Bhadrachalam: It is festive time for tribals of the agency area. They start celebrating the five-day `Earth Festival’ soon after the first monsoon showers. It is the first festival of the season for them. Villages in Chintur, VR Puram and Kunavaram mandals are in the grip of festivities now. The villages are reverberating with Rela Re Rela folk songs and dances.

Hunting is a tradition and part of the festival. Armed with bow and arrows, all the men folk go to the forest for hunting during the festival days. If anyone remains at home, he is heckled and intimidated by womenfolk as hunting is considered a symbol of bravery.

After the men folk leave home for hunting, tribal women reach the main thoroughfares and collect `toll’ from motorists by placing logs across the road. Women in groups also visit shops and business establishments in nearby towns and collect money from owners. On the concluding day of the festival, the women purchase snacks with the money collected and consume them.

It is a strong belief among tribals that if men succeed in hunting, they will reap a good harvest that season. The carcass of the hunted animal is brought to the village in a procession. Women welcome the successful hunters and they are hailed.

The carcass is placed at a tree in the village and Goddess Mutyalamma is worshipped. Later, the meat of the animal is distributed among themselves. The horns of the animal are presented to the hunter as a trophy. The tribals start agricultural operations only after celebrating the festival.

As per their belief, commencement of farming operations prior to the festival amounts to inviting the wrath of the deities and it does not augur well for the village. The celebration of the festival helps promote unity and fraternity among tribals, besides upholding their age old traditions.

By P Satyanarayana