Adivasis seek state aid for Dandari fete

Severe drought conditions and failure of crops forced the headmen and Sarpanches of the Adivasi gudems to approach the ITDA, Utnoor for the first time seeking financial assistance to celebrate their traditional Dandari festivities during Diwali in Adilabad of Telangana.

Adivasis claim that they are not in a position to celebrate Dandari due to failure of the crops and mounted debts and hence needed financial aid to celebrate the festival.

Headmen of the 130 Adivasi gudems had submitted petitions to the ITDA officials seeking sanction of funds to celebrate Dandari during Diwali, which is a major festival for Adivasis.

They have appealed to state government to sanction funds for them and make arrangements for the celebrations of the Dandari on the lines of Bathukamma for which the state government had made elaborate arrangements across the state.

The leaders claimed that they are forced to seek financial aid as they lost two crops and are unable to clear debts they took from the various sources.  

Dwindling forest cover : Adivasis purchase peacock feathers from other states

Instead of collecting them from jungles in the Adilabad district of Telangana, Adivasis these days are purchasing the peacock feathers from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajastan and Chattisgarh states thanks to the fast depleting forests.

Adivasis use peacock feathers to make hats that are worn by Gussadis( Adivasis)  to perform the Gussadi dance as part of Dandari, celebrated for 15 days coinciding with Diwali.

In the Adilabad district, forest cover has come down to 20 percent from the 44 percent in the last 50 years due to various reasons including indiscriminate felling of trees, wood smuggling and penetration of non- tribals into tribal areas and expansion of small towns in the agency areas in the district. 

In the process, peacocks’population has also come down due to deforestation. Adivasis who used to collect peacock feathers from jungles these days purchases them at high prices.           

A single peacock feather sell for Rs 5 while a bundle for 100 comes for Rs 300. During Diwali, thanks to the demand, each feather sometimes sells for Rs 20.  comprising 100 peacock feathers sell for Rs 300 and each Rs 5.

Peacock feathers are also being collected from Zoos and peacock farms in other states. There are 10 shops in Jainoor selling peacock feathers and each shop will sell hundreds of bundles during the Diwali festival season.

Adivasis use to collect peacock feathers in the forests along with minor forest produce and some of the cattle grazers would also collect the feathers when they went to forest daily.

Abdul Khadir of Jainoor, owner of kirana shop that also stocks peacock feathers, said Adivasis were purchasing peacock feathers from their shops these days as finding them in jungles has become difficult due to drastic fall in the forest cover.

He added that that they have been selling peacock feathers during Diwali for the last 20 years. While earlier only a few bundles would be sold, now he sells hundreds of bundles. Khadir said they purchase peacock feathers in bulk from Rajastan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Gujarat.

Adivasi leader Kanaka Yadavrao appealed to the panchayat raj minister K. Taraka Ramarao at Jodeghat to ensure state funds to Gussadis to celebrate the event on the occasion of Diwali. 

Bathukamma boost marigold farming

The input subsidy by the government coupled with the prominence to the Bathukamma festival where flowers are extensively used, have boosted cultivation of marigold in Adilabad district of Telangana.

The vibrantly hued and considerably large sized flowers of marigold make it the most preferred while decorating ‘Bathukamma’ and this has created demand for its cultivation.

Apart from ‘tangedu’ and gunugu  flowe, women used marigold in the floral arrangement. The Bathukamma festival has gained much importance after carving out of separate Telangana.  

To encourage farmers grow flowers, the horticulture department has been giving subsidy to the farmers cultivating marigold, jasmine and other varieties and as expected , many peasants opted for them as there is good profit. Marigold is a four-month crop involving very less risk.     

Assistant director, Agriculture dept, Adilabad Mohd Sattar said there is high demand for flowers these days as use of flowers has increased many times in day today life and on every occasion like Diwali, Dassara, Ayyappa and Bathukamma celebrations.

‘The rise in demand for marigold has increased due to the increasing popularity of Bathukamma festival’.

Earlier, the cultivation of these flowers was just confined to surrounding Hyderabad but now it has spread to all other districts in the state as farmers are getting remunerative prices’, Mr Sattar said.

According to official sources, the cultivation area of marigold has increased to nearly 300 acres this season from 60 acres earlier.  Marigold is prominent grown in Bhainsa, Gudihatnoor, Luxettipet, Tanoor, Adilabad, Nirmal, Ichoda, Kagaznagar areas in the district.  The total cultivation area of all flowers put together is 600 acres in the Adilabad district.

Boora Pocham, a farmers of Raspalli village in Kagaznagar mandal, said he cultivated marigold in 2.5 acre, this season, of the totally seven acres he totally owned in view of the high demand for those flowers.

Nearly 15 farmers are cultivating flowers, especially marigold, in the Sirpur (T) Assembly constituency following the encouragement from MLA Koneru Konappa.

Horticulture department is giving special subsidy for cultivation of flowers to meet the local demand and to encourage farmers to go for cross cultivation.

Marigold is priced between Rs 50-70 a kg and during the peak season, it even touches the Rs 200 a kg mark. Cultivation of flowers has increased in Bhainsa, Gudihatnoor, Luxettipet, Tanoor, Adilabad, Nirmal, Ichoda, Kagaznagar areas in the district.

Wheel is spinning with pots and diyas

Potters have just started their work for approaching festivals by making specially designed pots called ‘Garba’ to be used in playing Garba dance by the Gujarati women in Adilabad of Telangana during Durgadevi Navarathrulu next month. The potters continue their work of making earthen lamps for Diwali.  

There is considerable number of migrated Gujarati families settled in the Adilabad town and they celebrate Garba during Durgadevi Navarathrulu.

Gujarati women perform traditional puajs to the Garba pots considering them as sacred and Garba dance around the Garba pots kept in the centre.  It is done for the nine days after which the Garba pot is immersed in river.

Kannam Ramulu of Kumarpet colony in Adilabad was busy in making Garba pots on order for Gujarati women. The pot makers start work with the Garba pots which are called ghatams locally and continue with making earthen lamps (diyas) for Diwali.

He said his forefather and father did the same work for generations but the legacy will soon come to an end. His sons and other family members are taking up other occupations.  

Ramulu said specially designed Garba pots have a Swastik and Om etched on them and painted in specific colors of red and green and added that he has been making earthen items on order for different occasions for the last 25 years’. Ramulu said he will make 10,000 earthen lamps for Diwali this year’.

  

Ramulu’s wife Posani regretted over dwindling demand for earthen pots and gurigi (small size pots) as women prefer plastic and steel items to give as gift (Vainam) during special occasions like ‘Nomulu’ or ‘Vrathalu’. Also they were facing shortage of black soil due to urbanization and forced to purchase a tractor black soil for Rs 2,000.

Shanthabai Jaiswal, 86, neighbor of the Ramulu observed that it was difficult for the potters (Kummari) community people to survive just by making pots and its related work as it brings very little money.

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Drought fails to dampen enthusiasm of Adivasis

Adivasis performing puja to Gussadi caps

Adivasis are spending a lot on making Gussadi caps (made of peacock feathers), which are worn during Gussadi dance, performed as part of Diwali celebrations in the Adilabad district of Telangana.

The Adivasis are showing interest and enthusiasm in buying the peacock feathers despite loss due to drought conditions. The money Adivsis are spending on Gussadi caps is a big amount when compared to financial status.

Adivasis wearing ‘Gussadi caps’ are Gussadis . A group of Adivasis wearing the Gussadi caps and performing Gussadi dance are called Dandari.

According to the tradition, Adivasis will collect peacock feathers from jungles. But these days, due to deforestation, they are purchasing the feathers from shops.

Some of the Adivasis, especially those residing near towns and close too plain areas, are not taking the pain to collect every feather of peacock that drops from the birds’ body. Instead, they are purchasing the feathers from shops.

The Adivasis used to collect the peacock feathers when they took the cattle for grazing and the elders used to prepare the caps, each one consisting of nearly 1,000 feathers. Each new Gussadi cap costs a minimum of Rs 7,000.