Sankranti celebrated in full spirit

Bullock cart race, rangoli competition mark festival of harvest in two districts

District Sports Academy had organised bullock cart race on the occasion of Sankranti in Kolar. Twenty carts took part in the event held at the district stadium. Confusion prevailed for a while as cart which lost the way went helter-skelter and rammed into the iron gate of the stadium. The spectators rushed to rescue a bullock that was trapped below the cart. However neither the bullock nor the rider was injured.  The event later continued uninterrupted.

Venkatesh, S Ummarsab and Shivakumar secured first three prizes in the race of carts with four wheels and a single bullock; Venkatesh, Krishanamurthy and Kishore secured the first three prizes in the race of carts with two wheels and a single bullock. Raut K Ravikumar and Nagaraj secured prizes in the race of carts with two bullocks. All the participants were given consolation prizes.

City Municipal Council president K N Madhusudhan Kumar, vice-president V K Rajesh, Taluk Panchayat executive officer A Manjunath, Deputy Director of Youth Services and Sports Department Narasimhaiah and others were present. The Academy had also organised Rangoli competitions were organised at Kilaripet, Kurubarapet and Kataripalya.

Special puja

Meanwhile, special pujas were performed at Ranganathaswamy temple in Ranghastala of Chikkaballapur. The rays of the rising sun touch the feet of the Ranganathasway deity at the temple on the Sankranti Day. However, the layer of fog played spoilsport and the rays were not clearly visible. Overnight bhajan was held in the temple. People from nearby villages took part in large numbers in the festivities. Women and children took part in large numbers in the bhajan, being held for the past 20 years. Thousands of devotees took part in the function to lit up Makara jyothi in Keta Bhyraveshwara temple in the City.

Balakrishna Bhajana Mandir took out a procession to mark the occasion. Decorated cattle were an attraction in in the procession. The City is dominated by farmers whose second generation has migrated to other parts in search of jobs. However, the tradition has not been discontinued. The cattle are given a good wash on the Sankranti day and offered pongal. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee member Dr K Sudhakar, Congress leader P N Keshava Reddy, City Municipal Council member Gajendra took part in the procession.

Saikrishna Charitable Trust had organised a Rangoli competition in all the wards of the City. Drawing colourful Rangolis is part of the festivities in this part. Women had drawn Rangolis depicting flowers, animals and birds. The City wore a festive look with Rangolis in front of almost every house. The president of the Trust, Dr Sudhakar, Zilla Panchayat former member P N Keshava Reddy, City Municipal Council member Gajendra, Manchanabele Gram Panchayat member G V Rajanna were seen appreciating the Rangolis. People exchanged greetings and yellu-bella on the occasion.