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Goravayyalu
Gorava or
blankets. The priests among Kurubas are known as Goravas. They
dedicate one male member to the god Srisaila Mallikarjuna when he grows up he is
initiated into the Moilara cult by a Ganachari and trained in the lore
Kuruba or Kuruma is a sub caste of shepherds who tend sheep and weave wool
ritualistic music and dance by a senior Gorava. During the festivals and
Kalyanotsavas of their family deities Goravayyalu present their ritualistic
dance with great fanfare. During the other days they move from one place to
another singing the ballads of Mallanna and other Saiva panegyrics, beg alms and
bless the devotees.
They put
on a long black coat made out of sheep wool with white strips, a big triangular
jar cap made out of bear's skin. One upper cloth hanging from both
shoulders, another cloth serving as a waist band. A bag made of deer skin
containing the sacred turmeric called Bandaru to be offered to the devotees, a
brass cup tied to the waist for drinking milk or pancamritam. They wear
strings of cowries around their necks, tie jingling bells to their ankles. They hold a damaru in the right hand and a flute in the left hand.
They play
these instruments when they dance. While dancing they move in circles and
jump forward and backward like fighting rams. They bark at each other like
fighting dogs. They call themselves faithful dogs of god. Mallari or
Mailaru. They drink milk or Pancamritam contained in the brass cups placed
on the ground like dogs kneeling on the ground without holding the cups with
their hands. The remnants are shared by devotees as prasadam when they
perform this ritual dance in the temple precincts they pierce their cheeks, calf
wrist with iron pikes and blued as offering to the deity and beat themselves
with big hunters called veratallu. This dance is purely ritualistic
performed during religious occasions.
Garaka Dance (Vessel Dance)
Garaga means a pot or vessel. The dance performed with a vessel on the
head is known as Garaganrityam. This is very popular in Karnataka and
Tamil Nadu. This dance was performed as a ritual by Asadis during propitiating ceremonies
of village goddesses. In Andhra this is popular in
the coastal districts and the border districts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In olden days the priest in trance known as Ganachary used
to dance without any
make up for himself, with a decorated earthen pot on his head in-front of the
temple of a village goddess or along with her retinue in procession to the beats
of Dappu. It is a strong percussion instruments. In course of time
the Garaga dance has acquired many attractive adjuncts in make up and dance
styles. Brass vessels covered with colourful cloths, decorated with
vermilion and turmeric are held on the heads by the artistes when they
dance. The mouth of the brass vessel is covered with a five hooded serpent
made in brass or bronze. The dancers put on colourful clothes and hold a
bunch of margosa leaves symbolic of Shakti worship. The adept Dappu
players produce varying beats in Trisara, caturasra and other gatis and the
garaga dancers dance and produce the same sounds with the jingling bells tied to
their ankles. The artistes maintain the balance of the vessels on their
heads by without moving their heads though their bodies and limbs move very
fast. They have introduced many nuances and acrobatics in their dance
styles for attracting the spectators. They lie down on their bellies and pick up
coins and sticks with their lips. They stand facing each other on one leg
and make a knot with each others leg and dance to the drum beats. They
also play kolatam striking at each others stick. All these while
maintaining the balance of the vessels on their heads.
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