Gussadi festival commences

Luxettipet: The Dandari or Gussadi festival commenced at the Padmalpuri Kako temple, the only Adivasi temple in the country on the banks of River Godavari in Gudirevu village in Dandepalli mandal.

The festival commenced on the auspicious full moon day in the month of Aswayuja after Dasara and would conclude on Deepavali festival.

During the festival, tribals from across the State would make a beeline to the Goddess Kako and perform special pujas to the deity. They perform pujas to River Godavari and to the deities on the river bank and will have a community lunch, before returning to their house. The devotees will offer Payasam, Garelu and Ariselu as naivedyam to the Goddess Purikako.

The Gussadi dancers will sport rudraksha garland, keep a skin hidden under their arm, wear a cap made of peacock feathers and they anoint their faces with soot, applying ash all over their body and wear a loin cloth from waist to knees.

Even in the current computer age, the Adivasi Gonds are safeguarding their culture. The tribal thandas reverberate with the sounding of tribal percussion instruments like Dolu and Dappu and Gussadi dancers shaking a leg according to the rhythm.