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NRIs take part in Prabhalu festival
NRIs take part in Prabhalu festival, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) on Friday thronged the \'Prabhalu\' festival, a 400-year-old traditional event organised in several \'agraharams\' in the Konaseema.
Rajahmundry: Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) on Friday thronged the 'Prabhalu' festival, a 400-year-old traditional event organised in several 'agraharams' in the Konaseema. The NRIs, along with some foreigners, added not only value, but also a new dimension to the festivities by contributing large sums this year.
'Prabhalu' processions added to the beauty of the Konaseema during the three-day Sankranti festival. They were organised during the festival along with cockfights. Temples were beautifully decorated for the celebrations.
Specially-decorated arches, with replicas of Lord Siva and other deities, made of bamboo sticks and new clothes, were taken out in a huge procession from about 150 villages in the Konaseema area.
"Gopuram-shaped bamboo structures (‘prabhalu’) of various sizes-- ranging from six to 16-foot tall -- with flag mast atop and decorated with flowers and colour papers were mounted on bullock-carts and displayed at the Teertham (village festival), reflecting the Konaseema culture.
Makeshift stalls selling toys, balloons, fancy items and foodstuff made brisk business. People from various villages participated in the Teertham, taking their 'Prabhalu' mounted on bullock-carts in a procession, with the portraits of village deities. Generally, the celebrations are organised on 'Kanuma', a day after the Sankranti.
The highest 'Prabha', 45-foot, was taken out in a procession from Vakalagaruvu, in Ambajipeta mandal. The second highest was ‘Tondavaram’ Todeswaraswami Prabha (42 feet). When Jagannathota 'Prabhalu' arrived in a procession from the upper Kousika Canal, people in thousands witnessed, from either side of the canal. The Prabhalu pertaining to Irusumanda Ananda Rameswara Swamy, Vakkalanka - Kasi Visweswara, Nedunuru - Chennamalleswara, Mukkamala -Raghaveswara, Jagannapeta (Mosalapalli) - Bhogeswara, Pulletikurru -Abhinava Vyaghres wara, Vyaghres waram - Vyaghreswara and Gangalakurru Veereswara Swami arrived at a place where seven acres of coconut grooves are grown and a cultural festival conducted. 'Ekadasa Rudra Prabhalu' of Mosalapalli of Jaganna Thota, with a history of 400 years, is the most popular one among the Prabhalu. A plaque at Bhogeswara temple in Mosalapalli explains the significance of the Prabhalu.
