Chandrababu leads Bhogi festivities at Naravari palle

Tirupati: Bhogi was celebrated with great enthusiasm and traditional fervour on Wednesday, with the main attraction being the grand celebrations at Naravaripalle in Tirupati district, where Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu participated along with his family. The village wore a festive look as people gathered to witness the Chief Minister taking part in age-old Bhogi rituals, highlighting the cultural richness of the harvest festival.

The Chief Minister, accompanied by his wife Nara Bhuvaneswari and other family members, keenly watched Haridasulu rendering devotional songs and Gangireddulu performing traditional dances. The celebrations reflected Andhra Pradesh’s rich traditions as members of the Nara and Nandamuri families came together to celebrate Bhogi in a grand and joyful manner.

Sankranti, popularly known as the harvest festival, is considered the biggest festival by people, especially in rural areas. It is a time when families reunite, and many people living in cities or abroad return to their native villages to celebrate with their loved ones.

In Tirupati, Bhogi celebrations began much before dawn. People gathered in front of their houses, apartments and open grounds to light bonfires as part of the age-old custom. Old household items and junk material were thrown into the fire, symbolising the end of the old and the beginning of the new.

The three-day festival started with Bhogi on Wednesday and will be followed by Sankranti on Thursday and Kanuma on Friday.

Women decorated their front yards with colourful rangolis and flowers. Gobbemmas, made of cow dung, were placed at the centre of the rangolis, and women danced joyfully to the traditional song “Gobbiayalo… Gobbiayalo.” People exchanged greetings with neighbours and visited temples as part of the festive rituals.

Despite rising prices of essential commodities, fruits, clothes and other festival items, people went on a shopping spree over the past few days, with peak crowds seen on Wednesday. Major shopping areas in Tirupati, including Gandhi Road, TK Street and VV Mahal Road, witnessed heavy rush throughout the day.

As per tradition, people bought new clothes to offer to elders as a mark of respect and also performed rituals in memory of departed family members on Sankranti day. Purchases of clothes, pooja items, flowers and fruits remained high. Villagers from surrounding areas also flocked to the city, adding to the festive buzz. From branded showrooms to roadside vendors, all sections of trade saw brisk business. The heavy crowds led to traffic congestion, and police had a tough time regulating traffic on busy roads.