Hyderabad: City reverberates with Sadar festivities

Hyderabad: The 'Sadar Festival', a carnival of buffaloes, is annually celebrated by the Yadav community. Also known as Dunnapothula Panduga, it was celebrated on a grand note on Wednesday with thousands participating in the program showcasing 'bulls'.

The festival is celebrated on the second day of Diwali when Lord Rama defeated the demon Ravana and returned to Ayodhya after 14 years. The festival was celebrated on a grand note at Narayanguda and Khairatabad, Shaikpet, Saidabad, Ameerpet, Amberpet, Bowenpally, Hayatnagar, Nagole, Karwan, and Begum Bazar.

According to the organizers, buffaloes from across the country made their presence felt in the congregation. However, those mostly from Haryana and Punjab ruled the roost with their gigantic frames and majestic appearance.

Krishna, a seven-foot-tall bull measuring 18 feet from nose to tail, was the major attraction during the annual festivities organized by the community. It weighs 1,800 kg, this Murrah breed bull was specially brought from Haryana to Musheerabad.

The festivities saw hefty bulls including a 6.5-foot-tall King from Punjab apart from Arjun, Sartaj, Shahrukh, and Dhara. During the event, the buffaloes were decorated by shining them with oil, bright colors, garlands, anklets (gajjelu), and sea-shell bands with bells around necks or foreheads, They were adorned with peacock feathers on their horns. The procession with the bulls from Musheerabad culminated at Narayanaguda.

The buffaloes or bulls show tricks that their masters have trained them, like balancing on their hind legs. They are intimidated to stand on their hind legs which make for a grand show and amuses the crowd.

The bull's diet comprises milk, fruits, dry fruits, cotton seed cake, and sugarcane. 'Krishna' consumes 10-15 liters of milk every day and 40-50 apples or four-five dozen bananas and one kg of cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, and raisins. "Every year, we add more bulls to the carnival. We decided to reduce them to nine. So, this time we have nine bulls in the festival; 'Krishna' who has been crowned champion at the national level 25 times was the star attraction," said All- India Yadav Mahasabha State general secretary Haribabu Yadav. "Sadar has been celebrated every year since 1942. We request the State government to declare it as a State festival," added Kattala Srinivas Yadav, another organizer.