Usha


This pair comes to our house on all fridays and on all festive occasions - the man plays his Tavil or sometimes the nadaswaram and the Basava (Bull in Kannada) brightens the day by just being his colourful self.





Wish you a happy Vinayaka chaturti. May all your plans in the coming year be impediment-free and successful!
5 Responses
  1. Hip Grandma Says:

    for once I am first!a happy vinayaka Chaturthi to you and all others.May we all look forward to peaceful times ahead.


  2. rads Says:

    Hope all had a good Vinyaka chaturthi pooja. Finished mine and working on those kozhakottais...

    The nadaswaram and bulls dressed up are such a scarce scene these days aren't they? Last summer, I was fortunate enough to show this part of our festivity to my kids when we visited. It's so colorful and fun...

    hg - u beat me :p


  3. Anonymous Says:

    I am reminded of the 'gudugudupandi' of Tamil nadu when the man with the bull would very confidently declare 'Nalla Kalam varudhu'..'Nalla kalam varudhu' in his baritone and the bull would very happily nod to give assent, only to be rewarded with a banana or sometimes even nothing. But I don't think that the bull minded that very much.And also how we would scare our young nieces and nephews and submit them into finishing their meal fast by saying gudugudupandni vandhviduvaan.Such fun innocent times!


  4. Visithra Says:

    Ive never seen one unless in photos - gypsy women yes they sure are colourful


  5. Usha Says:

    Hipgrandma: Thanks. Yes let us pray for peaceful times ahead. May HE place all the impediments in the way of those who want to destroy peace.

    Rads:Hm..how did the kozhukattais come out - tricky little things aren't they?
    Like I said they are not so scarce in my neighbourhood - they are there every friday and on all festival days and my dog objects violently to the music. YOu know, they play their songs quite well. Apparently they used to be attached to temples and that is where they learn to play these - Yesterday it was Bhagyada lakshmi Baramma ( never mind it was Ganesh Chaturti, let us have lakshmi anyways!)

    Shalini: Yes, I rememebr being scared of those harmless chaps - all they wanted was clothes. But there was a school of thought that they practised blackmagic which I don't believ at all as they always said "nalla kaalam porakudu" and wished on well.
    Another interesting story I heard about them is that they can understand The language of the birds and apparently birds talk about us which they translate as predictions!!!

    Visi: No, these are not gypsies. These men and their bulls used to be patronised by temples and people used to pay them money to play outside their houses on festive days.
    Only the bull is decorated the men are in plain clothes!