Bommala Koluvu a part of Sanskranti celebrations

Posted Date: 05-Jan-2012		Category: Culture of Andhra Pradesh
Author: Kalyani	Member Level: Silver
Rating:	Points: 30 (Rs 20)

In this article you will find about the way Bommala Koluvu is celebrated as a part of Bhogi and Sankranti festival celebrations. Bommala koluvu is an age old tradition in South India in which a number of idols or toys are showcased in an array of steps.

Festivals are a part of the culture and tradition of the region. And mostly festivals are confined to family celebrations and gatherings. It even includes the gathering of the community and the near and dear ones. Most of the festivals are celebrated as a part of religious function while few festivals have their connectivity with the social celebrations.

About Bhogi Panduga / festival

Bhogi panduga is one of the most important festivals of Andhra Pradesh and is celebrated for a continuous period of four days. The four days include Bhogi, Sankranti, Kanumu and Mukkanumu. The day prior to Makara Sankranthi is celebrated as Bhogi and it usually falls on the 13 or 14 January every year. Bhogi is basically a social festival that is celebrated as a harvest festival when the new crop is brought to the house. And on the Sankranti day, special sweet rice called Chakara Pongali is prepared with the new crop and is offered to the God.

As Bhogi is a social festival it includes celebrations like Bommala Koluvu which is mainly showcased by the girl children of the house.

Bommmala Koluvu

As the name indicates the meaning of the Telugu word Bommalu is dolls / toys and the meaning of Koluvu is showcase. Since olden days the girl children of the house are involved in arranging or showcasing the dolls or toys which they have collected in an array of steps. In the olden days the dolls of local handicrafts of Andhra Pradesh like the kondapalli and etikoppaka toys were showcased. But with the passage of time even a collection of handicrafts across the country or toys that are collected from various countries are being displayed.

Basically, this is known as Sankranti Bommala Nomu in which the girl children from the age of three are involved. Friends and relatives are invited to have a look at Bommala Koluvu which is known as Perantam in Telugu language and then they are given Taambulam which consists of one or two fruits along with two betel leaves, betel nut, a coin, turmeric powder and Kumkum powder (pasupu Kumkham). And then the young girls are blessed by the elders and are appreciated for the display of their wonderful art.

In fact Bommala Koluvu encourages the creativity and organization skills in the girl children. And it is highly essential for these young girls to be organised as they are the future organizers of the household. In this way Bommala Kovulu has its own importance in improving the skills of girl children and thereby molding them to perfect individuals. It also gives them an opportunity to socialize themselves and thus help them in maintaining better public relations.

Bommala Kovulu is celebrated during Makara Sankranthi in some regions of the state while the same is celebrated during Dussehra Navaratri in some other regions of the state. Unfortunately, due to the influence of the Western culture, this wonderful celebration called Bommala Koluvu is slowing fading from the society and the children as well as the elderly people of Andhra Pradesh are not giving much importance to this wonderful celebration. And it is time to revive this cultural and traditional festival of the state.

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