Braving cold weather, denizens gathered at different junctions and streets in residential colonies on Wednesday to lit Bhogi mantalu (bonfire) and ushered in the Sankranti festivities.
Amid the colourful rangoli that greeted people all along the streets in different colonies and keertanas by haridas, Sankranti fervour has indeed gripped the State. It is a custom in the State to lit Bhogi mantalu during the festival as people believe it would ward off evil intentions and usher in positive energy into the houses.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu participated in the festivities at his native place Naravaripalle, Chitoor district in the wee hours. Along with some family members and friends, Mr. Naidu, dressed in the traditional dhoti, extended greetings to the people and the village was decked up colourfully for the occasion. The Chief Minister later paid floral tributes to former Chief Minister N.T.Rama Rao’s statue.
In Krishna district, Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao participated in the bhogi mantalu celebrations at Gollapudi. Hindupur MLA and film actor Nandamuri Balakrishna visited his native place, Nimmakuru and participated in the festivities. He garlanded the statues of his parents N.T.Rama Rao and N. Basavatarakam in the village.
Addressing on the occasion, he conveyed wishes to all the Telugu people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “Sankranti is a big festival for Telugu people and I pray brotherhood and affection prevail among people in both the States,” said Mr. Balakrishna. Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao and local leaders participated in the festivities at Ongole.
Apart from Bhogipallu, a tradition followed to ward off evil, the festive season marked the conduct of cockfights at several places in the district. Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas and others reached the venues set up on the city outskirts. According to reports, residents in Vantaram village at Balajipeta in Vizianagaram district stayed away from the festivities. It is reported that several years back, many cattle and bulls of a particular community died during Bhogi festival and since then the villagers are voluntarily skipping the festivities on Bhogi.
