Telugus In Berhampur Celebrate ‘Sankranti Sambaraalu’

Berhampur: Telugus in Berhampur celebrated ‘Sankranti Sambaraalu’ with a Pongal flavour here on Monday. The celebration was led by Andhra Bhashabhivardhani Samajam (ABS) and about 50 Telugu literary, music, social and cultural organisations.

‘Sankranti Sambaraalu’ is a traditional harvesting festival. Fifty per cent of 4.15 lakh population in Berhampur are Telugus, sources said.

The delicious ‘Pongali’, prepared with newly harvested rice, dal, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk, capped Pongal on a sweet note.

The Telugus in Ganjam have also commenced their own brand of Sankranti celebrations from Monday with spectacular rangolis, crackling bonfires and colourful cultural shows.

While the first day of the festival was celebrated as ‘Bhogi’ on January 13, the second day would be celebrated as ‘Pongal’ or Makar Sankranti, ‘Kanuma’ on January 15 and ‘Mukknam’ on January 16.

The Telugu people donned new attire and greeted one another with ‘Happy Pongal’. Odias also joined them in the celebrations. The entire place was decorated with colourful rangolis to celebrate Sankranti Sambaraalu or the Pongal celebration.

They performed ‘Bhogi’ with ‘Gobbammalu’, said K Anil Kumar, Berhampur MLA and also the Chairman of ‘Sankranti Sambaraalu’ Coordination Committee.

Berhampur MP Pradip Kumar Panigrahi, K Anil Kumar, South Indian cine actor P Sai Kumar and CMR Shopping Mall MD Mavuri Venkata Ramana attended the ‘Sankranti Sambaraalu’. The morning celebration was organised at Prakasam Hall and the evening mega cultural event at Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir Playground at Neelakantha Nagar.