Sankranti is a prelude to the series of festivals to observed in the Indian tradition in a year. However, in celebrating Sankranti every region follows its own style, rituals and the festival is invested with different meanings and different kinds of religious beliefs.

This festival marks the beginning of Sun’s journey to northern hemisphere, called ‘utharayana.’ The day is also significant, mythologically, as it was on this day Bhishma decided to shed his mortal body. So it is believed that doors of heaven will be open for those who die on this day; besides it is popular belief that on Sankranti, it is day for the gods while night (dark) for the demons.

However, another reason for significance of the festival is that this is also a festival of harvesting. Sankrant or Pongal (as it is called in Tamil) or Makaravilakku (in Kerala) is celebrated in the harvesting season - when the farmers reap rich crop and enjoy the fruits of their labour. Avarekai and sugarcane, crops of the season, are sold in every street and shop; they are the significant constituent of the celebrations.

Avarekai story

There is also a story to explain why Avarekai is in demand especially during Sankranti. According to a common belief in Vokkaliga community, Kunti gave Avarekai to the eldest of Pandavas, Dharmaraya. He sowed avarekai.

However, in the beginning of Kaliyug, they all had to go to heaven. Dharmaraya had donated all his wealth, and when the Vokkaligas came at the end he had nothing but Avarkai. So he donated avarekai to Vokkaligas and said that as long as truth prevails on this earth he will be alive in the form of avarekai. 

Enormous shopping

Preparations for the harvest festival Sankranti was up in full swing as people were seen busy shopping essential items. Sugarcane, avare, til, jaggery and others were purchased by the people on Monday in Bagepalli.

The prices of the sugarcane and avare which are special to this festival were sold at a higher price compared to normal rates. A kg of avare was sold between Rs 13-15. There was a high demand for sugarcane. A single cane of local variety was sold Rs 5 where as black variety was sold for as high as Rs 25.

The magnitude of the shopping was enormous as Monday also happens to be the day of weekly fair. Shops that were specially erected to sell the festival items were seen from Gulooru circle till BESCOM office in the city and did good business.  In the meantime preparations for the annual ‘Sankranti Sambrama-2008’ were also being carried on.

Sankranti Sambrama has been continuously organised from past four years by the Sri Billuru Anjaneyaswamy Temple Seva Trust. The programme is expected to take place in full grandeur on Tuesday also. Cultural programmes and felicitation have been organised as a part of the programme.

Programme

The programme will be inaugurated by Chinnakayapalli’s S N Subbareddy, DySP Nanaiah will preside over the function and fireworks by popular companies has also been organised on lines of the fireworks arranged at  Dasara Banni Mantap in Mysore.

Folk singer Appagere Timmaraju will entertain the audience. Senior litterateur Dr Ranga Reddy Kodirampura, Prof K Narayanaswamy, State award winner Block Education Officer K Manjunath, University award winner Prof D Shivanna, C G Siddaramaiah and Gadadim temple chief priest K Prakash Rao will be felicitated on the occasion, said Trust president K M Nagaraj.