People don several roles in order to make their ends meet. While several of them engage themselves in varied occupations in their own land, some of them migrate to other places in search of livelihood. A team of people from Kadiri in Andhra Pradesh have thus made Chikkaballapur their home.

They belong to the Golla community, which is dependant on the cows for their livelihood. Nearly six cows, which dances to the tune of dollu provides food to this team of 15 members.

It is a traditional occupation as even their ancestors were dependant on the cows for their survival.

Though they are dependant on agriculture they do not have any agricultural lands. In order to make their ends meet they have to work as marginal farmers in the lands of zamindars.

Lack of work

Moreover, during the summer season due to the lack of agricultural work they are left without any work and the cows come to their rescue.

However, they are unable to make a living with the cows in and around Kadiri and hence they have migrated from Andhra Pradesh to the border districts of Karnataka.

The cows of the gollas respond to the language of the villagers and nods its head in approval, sits and does as the golla says and thereby entertains the people. The villagers then provide them with food grains, money and also place to spend their night. The next day again they travel to another village.   Moreover, the cows are an indispensable part of their lives. The children of the gollas even rest and have a peaceful sleep atop the cows.

Thus, several such golla teams have settled in various parts of the country to earn their livelihood. The government should step in and offer help to this community and thus protect them and their profession from the verge of extinction.