ADILABAD: While people belonging to other sections of the society are gearing up for Diwali, the festival of lights, tribals of the erstwhile Adilabad district wait eagerly for this time of the year to celebrate the Dandari-Gussadi festival. The festival started on Sunday. A dance festival that starts around a week before Diwali, Dandari-Gussadi festival is an important cultural affair of ethnic tribes.
During the festive season, the Dandari and Gussadi dance troupes tour the tribal villages, stay there overnight, and perform traditional rituals.The celebrations usually begin with the tribals visiting the Padmalpuri Khako shrine at Gudirevu village of Dandepalli mandal in Mancherial district, on the banks of the Godavari river. On the occasion, the Adivasis present offerings to the river. They also end the festival at the Padmalpuri Khako as the shrine is of great importance for the people belonging to ethnic groups.
Speaking to Express, Kanaka Ambaji Rao, a native of a local tribal village, said that the Dandari-Gussadi festival is one of the most significant festivals of indigenous people that the week-long fest is celebrated at all tribal villages across the erstwhile district.
“It starts on the day we see a crescent moon and end on the dark moon day. We start the festival by performing the Sakshe Akadi and end it on the Devadi day. Once the Sakshe Akadi is performed, the tribals would attain the festive spirits and the entire week would witness the fervour of the fest.
The tribals’ love for music also becomes so evident during the festival time that one, if they visit to one of these villages, can find several instruments — like thudum, pepera, kalikom, dappu, ghumela, dhol, vetti and karra — that are not easily findable in our markets.
During this time, the men become Gussadi tados and perform unique rituals. The dancers wear Gussadi topi, made of peacock feathers locally known as mal boora and form a dance troupe called as Dandari. The festival ends on Diwali day with the Ghusadi tado taking off their attire ritualistically.