Festivals

Sri Panchami, also called Vasant Panchami, is the festival of Goddess Saraswati, the giver of knowledge, speech and the arts. Families worship the Goddess along with books and pens, and many children begin their education with Aksharabhyasam – above all at the Gnana Saraswathi temple in Basara.

Ratha Saptami, the birthday of Surya, the Sun God, is celebrated on Magha Shukla Saptami with a sunrise bath under seven jilledu leaves and worship of the Sun. Tirumala holds a one-day Brahmotsavam on seven vahanams, and Arasavalli's Sun temple draws lakhs.

The Sammakka Saralamma Jatara at Medaram in Mulugu district is the great biennial festival of the Koya tribal community, honouring the mother and daughter goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. Over four days in Magha, millions of devotees come to the forest village to offer bangaram – jaggery – and seek the goddesses' blessings.

Maha Shivaratri, the great night of Lord Shiva, is observed with fasting, night-long jagarana and abhishekam to the Shiva Lingam. In the Telugu states, lakhs gather at Srisailam, Kotappakonda and Keesaragutta.

Holi, known in the Telugu lands as Kamuni Punnami, is the spring festival of Phalguna Pournami. Villages light the Kama Dahanam bonfire, remembering how Lord Shiva burnt Kamadeva with his third eye, and the next morning everyone celebrates with colours. Many Vishnu temples hold Dolotsavam, the swing festival of the Lord.

Ugadi is the Telugu New Year, celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Families begin the year with Ugadi pachadi of six tastes and gather to hear the new year's Panchanga Shravanam.

Sri Rama Navami celebrates the birth of Lord Sri Rama on Chaitra Shukla Navami. In the Telugu states it is also the day of the Sita Rama Kalyanam, with grand celebrations at Bhadrachalam and Vontimitta, and panakam and vadapappu for all.

Hanuman Jayanti celebrates the appearance of Sri Anjaneya Swamy, the mighty devotee of Lord Rama. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is kept on Vaishakha Bahula Dashami, when Hanuman Deeksha devotees complete their vow at temples such as Kondagattu and Karmanghat; much of India celebrates it on Chaitra Purnima.

Akshaya Tritiya – the "never-diminishing" third day of Vaishakha – is a day when charity, prayer and good deeds are believed to bear endless fruit. It is also the day of Simhachalam's Chandanotsavam, when the sandalwood covering of Lord Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha is removed for the once-a-year Nijaroopa Darshanam, and it is linked with Parasurama Jayanti.

Narasimha Jayanti celebrates the appearance of Lord Narasimha, who emerged from a pillar at dusk to protect his young devotee Prahlada. Devotees fast and worship the Lord at sunset with panakam and vadapappu, and the great Narasimha kshetras of the Telugu lands – Yadadri, Simhachalam, Mangalagiri, Antarvedi and Kadiri – celebrate with special abhishekams.

Godavari Pushkaralu is the great river festival held once in twelve years, when Jupiter enters Simha rasi. For twelve days, crores of pilgrims bathe in the Godavari at Basara, Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram, Bhadrachalam, Rajahmundry and countless ghats down to the sea, honour their ancestors and worship at the riverside temples.

Tholi Ekadasi – the "first Ekadasi" – is the day Lord Vishnu is believed to enter his yogic sleep for four months, and it marks the start of the sacred Chaturmasya. Devotees fast, visit Vishnu temples and offer Pelala Pindi, a sweet of popped jowar and jaggery that is shared as prasadam.