This festival, cow dung cakes opted for ‘Bhogi mantalu’
Ahead of Bhogi, cow dung cakes are sold at a Rythu Bazaar in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: Oldlogs, discarded furniture parts and other leftover items find their place in ‘Bhogi mantalu’ (bonfire) celebrated on the first-day of the Sankranti festivities.
Offering old clutter into the bonfire symbolically epitomises getting rid of past burdens and irrelevant baggage so that it would make way to usher in new tidings.
Decades back, wooden logs, cow dung cakes and other planet-friendly stuff were used for ‘Bhogi mantalu’. But for the past few years, discarded tyres, plastic products and other non-biodegradable items get into the flames during the festival.
In several stretches across the city, bonfires are lit right on the roads causing significant damage to them. Keeping this in view, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) advocates eco-friendly celebrations and appeals to people to refrain from burning tyres, thermocol, plastic material and other harmful items for ‘Bhogi’ as they impact both health and environs.
According to Ayurveda, burning organic cow dung cakes is considered beneficial in more ways than one. Apart from being considered sacred, cow dung is used as fertilisers to maintain soil health. It also contains cleansing properties that help ward off insects and microbes.
After a long while, farmers at Visakhapatnam Rythu Bazaars and vendors at makeshift stalls have been selling cow dung cakes extensively tied in a rope and also as separate pieces. With a small bundle of cow dung cakes being sold at Rs.20 each, scores of people prefer bringing home a handful of cow dung cakes ahead of Bhogi.
This year, there is an apparent shift in the manner ‘Bhogi’ is celebrated as many opt planet-friendly celebrations that aim at getting rid of negativity and welcoming positivity.
