ADILABAD: For 15 days around Diwali, Ghussadi and Dhandari troupes travel from village to village across the Agency areas of the erstwhile Adilabad district, keeping an age-old Adivasi tradition alive.
The celebrations begin with prayers and the first traditional dance at the Padmal Puri Kako temple on the banks of the Godavari near Gudirevu of Mancherial district.
Padmal Puri Kako is among the most sacred shrines for Adivasis of the erstwhile Adilabad district. The Diwali celebrations are closely linked to the worship of Padmal Puri Kako.
Before setting out to perform Ghussadi and Dhandari dances in their villages, tribal groups gather at the temple with traditional musical instruments such as drums, tudum, tappal, parre, vette and gumela.
They offer prayers and perform their first dance before the deity, seeking blessings for the celebrations.
The rituals also include a special puja for newly married women belonging to the five Saga Gond tribes. Devotees take a holy dip in the Godavari, perform prayers and prepare naivedyam (sweet rice) as an offering to the deity.
The temple draws Dhandari troupes not only from the erstwhile Adilabad district and other parts of the two Telugu states but also from tribal regions of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, reflecting the tradition’s reach across state boundaries.
Adivasi youth leader Kanaka Ambaji Rao said the Ghussadi and Dhandari celebrations would begin in the Agency villages on Sunday.
The festivities extend for a week before Diwali and another week after the festival, with young people enthusiastically taking part. During the 15-day period, the troupes visit villages across the region and perform traditional dances.
Adivasi Sena state president Kova Daulath Rao Mokashi said the Padmal Puri Kako Devasthanam Committee had made arrangements for devotees visiting the shrine.
He said the tradition had been passed down through generations and continued to bring tribal communities together.
The state government has also extended financial support to the troupes, and sanctioned Rs 1.5 crore for Ghussadi and Dhandari groups in the erstwhile Adilabad district. Around 1,000 troupes are expected to receive Rs 15,000 each.