This graveyard in Karimnagar bids bye to darkness on Diwali every year

Every year, on Diwali, this cemetery bids bye to darkness as people flock the place to celebrate the festival of lights as part of a decades-old tradition.

Karimnagar: Graveyards are usually associated with darkness. A gloomy ambience, with very few people seen around, is how most graveyards are, but not this one at Karkhanagadda cemetery in Karimnagar.

Every year, on Diwali, this cemetery bids bye to darkness as people flock the place to celebrate the festival of lights as part of a decades-old tradition.
Bursting crackers, offering different sweets and dishes to their departed ones, this unique practice has been continued at Karkhanagadda and a few other graveyards in the town, though the Covid pandemic had hit attendance slightly in the last couple of years.

---

Family members of the those buried in the graveyard paint and decorate the graves of their loved ones by arranging flowers and lamps. In the evening, they bring food items to the cemetery. While some come with vegetarian food, others offer different types of non-vegetarian dishes, most of which were favourites of the departed soul. Interestingly, some even come with offerings including liquor, toddy, beedis, cigarettes and even gutkha packets.

With the tradition being continued for several years now, the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation also does its part, by making necessary arrangements. Besides cleaning up the cemetery, lighting, drinking water and other arrangements were made by the corporation this year as well.

Even local politicians make their presence felt in the area, with flex banners put up along the stretch from the main road to the graveyard.
Speaking to Telangana Today, a retired government employee, Komuraiah said that they offer food items and celebrate Diwali at the graveyard in memory of their loved ones. Though he did not know how the practice began, the 65-year-old Komuraiah said he was continuing the tradition passed on by his elders.

Another of the visitors, L Shankar, said that compared to previous years, more people visited the graveyard this year to celebrate Diwali. In 2020 and 2021, very few had made it to the graveyard, for the celebrations, on account of the pandemic.