Come Deepavali, fervor of Dandari-Gussadi, a dance festival, has griped the Tribal community of Adilabad district in Telangana. They are popular cultural and religious affairs for Adivasis living in several parts of this backward region.
Traditionally, Gond and Kolam tribes observe courtship dance festival Dandari-Gussadi during Deepavali. They worship Yethmasarpen or God of soul, on Bhogi celebrated ahead of the festival of lights. They revere Goddess Jangu Bai by placing musical instruments such as Dappu, Ghumela, Dhol, Vetti, Karra, Pepri and Thudum in front of her.
Customs & Rituals
Some of the tribals visit Padmalpuri Khako shrine situated at Gudirevu village in Dandepalli mandal in Mancherial district on the banks of Godavari river. They present offerings and some of them sacrifice animals.
They take a dip in the river before entering the shrine. They do community dining. Padmalpuri Khako is the seventh daughter of Niranjan Guru, a God who is said to be born out of water.
Men including eligible bachelors transform themselves into Ghusarks or Ghusadi Tado, by performing unique rituals. They wear Gussadi Topi, a large headgear made of hundreds of peacock feathers locally known as mal boora. They form a dance troupe popularly called as Dandari.
The troupes visit neighbouring villages after being invited by community members. They present Gussadi dance in accompaniment with different musical instruments at the residence of Patlal (elder of the hamlet) upon entering habitation of inviters. Dandari is not only a cultural affair, but also a platform to find a suitable girl for unmarried Adivasi youngsters.
The festival provides bachelors an opportunity to draw attention girls from villages in which they exhibit their dancing skills. The girls (Porikal), who are interested to get married, watch the performance, which runs for a night and a day, and then they express interest in boy of their liking. Mothers fix matches for their daughters with prospective grooms following conclusion of this festival.
Festival & Dance
During the festival, tribals from across the State would make a beeline to the Goddess Kako and perform special pujas to the deity. They perform pujas to River Godavari and to the deities on the river bank and will have a community lunch, before returning to their house. The devotees will offer Payasam, Garelu and Ariselu as naivedyam to the Goddess Purikako.
The Gussadi dancers will sport rudraksha garland, keep a skin hidden under their arm, wear a cap made of peacock feathers and they anoint their faces with soot, applying ash all over their body and wear a loin cloth from waist to knees.
Even in the current computer age, the Adivasi Gonds are safeguarding their culture. The tribal thandas reverberate with the sounding of tribal percussion instruments like Dolu and Dappu and Gussadi dancers shaking a leg according to the rhythm.
