Visakhapatnam: Traditional ‘Haridasu’ turns techy!

Visakhapatnam: When one thinks of Haridasu, the clanking of wooden cymbals (chidatalu) accompanied by tambura, carrying ‘Akshaya Patra’ over the head and singing ‘Harinama keertanalu’ all the way is what comes to mind.

During Sankranti festivities, ‘Haridasu’ visits door to door singing keertanas in praise of Lord Vishnu, seeking alms. Carrying a bowl of rice or ‘dakshina’ or both, women and children head to the street as soon as they hear the renditions of Haridasu.

However, in an ever-evolving competitive world where a number of sectors get influenced by technology, Haridasulu are also finding ways to ease their process of seeking alms. As a part of making their trekking exercise effortless, some of them are commuting on two-wheelers. A few of the ‘Haridasulu’ turn techy as they look forward to incorporating digital platforms as well. The other day, a Haridasu was seen going door-to-door, riding a two-wheeler. A loudspeaker was attached to his vehicle, blaring Harinama keertanalu as he commuted in a slow motion stopping by each house along the street, seeking alms.

At Gopalapatnam, another Haridasu was seen trekking carrying a tambura and chidatalu, while his small team followed him in a rickshaw, playing Harinama keertanalu in an audio system.

Belonging to the third generation of Haridasulu, Venkata Ramana from Narsipatnam, says that many have discontinued the tradition in search of seeking greener pastures. “But in order to keep the legacy alive, we continue the tradition during Sankranti festivities. Singing keertanalu is difficult for the younger generation of Haridasulu as they are not well-versed with it,” he explains.

Much against the revised version of Haridasu, M Babji, who belongs to the third generation of Haridasu from S Rayavaram, says, “Although efforts are taken to continue the tradition and pass it on to the next generation, there is a need to follow old practices and stick to them. Save for travelling from one city to another, I do prefer trekking along the streets to keep the ancient culture alive.”

The reels of Haridasu commuting in bikes and three-wheelers go viral on social media platforms. However, not many are open to such updated or revised versions of Haridasu as they feel that certain ancient practices will have their own charm if they remain unaltered.