'Makara Sankranti' festivities begin in Telangana

The three-day Makara Sankranti festivities began in Telangana Monday with the first day celebrated as 'Bhogi'.

Traditionally, 'Bhogi manta' (a bonfire with logs of wood and other waste wooden furniture) is lit at dawn. It is a day to discard old clothes and others and make a new beginning.

Along with the disposal of the derelict things, it is believed that old habits and vice are sacrificed.

In the evenings, children are showered with 'Regi Pandlu' (Indian jujube fruit) in a traditional function organised at homes. This is done in order to protect the children from evil.

The second day of the festival (Tuesday) is 'Sankranti'. Traditional food items are offered on banana leaves to ancestors.

Delicacies prepared for the festival of Sankranti include chakinalu, appalu and ariselu.

On the third day of 'Kanuma' (Wednesday), livestock is worshipped.

Youth fly kites during the festival. The Telangana government is organising the fourth international kite festival and the second international sweet festival.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the festivals on Sunday.

During the Sankranti festival, thousands of residents from Hyderabad visit their native places in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Trains and buses witnessed a heavy rush of passengers in the run-up to the festival.

The Telangana government had announced waiver of toll for travellers on national highways on January 13 and 16 in view of the Sankranti festival.