Telugu expatriates celebrate Sankranti with cultural fervour in Riyadh

The Telugu expatriate community in Riyadh celebrated Sankranti with grandeur under the banner of the Telugu Association of Saudi Arabia (TASA). The event featured traditional dances, rangoli competitions, Haridasu devotional songs and Gangireddulu performances, recreating the spirit of rural Sankranti.

By Gulf Correspondent

Riyadh: The harvest festival of Sankranti was celebrated by the Telugu expatriate community in Saudi Arabia on a grand scale.

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A grand festival was recently organised by the Telugu Association of Saudi Arabia (TASA) in Riyadh, with the venue coming alive with colour, tradition and festive cheer. The event brought together people across age groups, from young children to senior citizens, creating a lively and memorable celebration of Telugu culture.

Traditional dances performed by children dressed in ethnic attire emerged as a major attraction. The festive ambience reflected the spirit of rural Sankranti traditions, with rangoli designs adorning the venue and folk performances resonating throughout the day.

The celebrations began in the morning with Bhogi, where people of all age groups, clad in traditional attire, gathered together. Haridasu devotional songs and Gangireddulu performances added to the festive fervour, transforming the venue into a vibrant cultural hub. Women enthusiastically participated in rangoli competitions, creating colourful muggulu decorated with gobbemmalu, showcasing the true essence of the festival.

“We have been celebrating Sankranti and other Telugu festivals for the last six years but without any publicity and strictly involving families”, said Swamy Swarna Tirupati, president of TASA.

TASA also conducts a large-scale cricket tournament every year prior to Sankranti, and this year a total of eight teams participated.  The champion trophy was presented to winning captain Shiva Krishna of the Riyadh Rampage team, while Nataraj Kumar of Challengers received the runner-up trophy.

Women team members Bindu Kumari, Sridevi Vakati and Sandhya Guggila won praise for their effective role in organising the event, with women taking the lead in several activities.

Prominent Indian community leaders Devadas Kankala, Gulam Khan and Jamal addressed the gathering.