Sankranthi is one of the most awaited festivals of the year for people of Hyderabad. This is one such festival that is celebrated in advance by kite enthusiasts. No matter which religion or community you belong to, people in hyderabad celebrate and participate in the kite flying festival with great pomp and enthusiasm. Though Sankranthi is not a major festival (like Dusshera or Diwali), it is very popular in Hyderabad.
Two things that make Sankranthi a colorful festival are the kites and the rangoli. And of course, the special lip smacking dishes prepared on Sankranthi by women. They are not only good with preparing special dishes on Sankranthi, but they also enjoy flying kites.
Special dishes prepared on Sankranthi
Sankranthi is one such festival that is known for some special dishes. They are prepared only during Sankranthi. Some of them are listed below:
- Til/Sesame laddu – Til laddu is a traditional sweet dish made of roasted til seeds mixed with jaggery syrup to make round laddus.
- Sweet Pongal – Sweet Pongal is a sweet dish specific to South India and is mostly prepared during Sankranthi. It is prepared using rice, moong dal, jaggery and milk, and after it is cooked, it is garnished with ghee, roasted almonds, cashews and raisins.
- Ariselu – Ariselu is also a sweet item prepared with rice flour and jaggery, deep fried in oil and garnished with poppy seeds (Khus Khus).
- Sakinalu – Sakinalu is specially prepared during Sankranthi. It is a famous snack of telangana region. It is made of wet rice flour with some salt and til seeds are added in it. It is typically round in shape and is very tasty and healthy. Vadappalu is also prepared by many people during Sankranthi.
Fancy and bright colored kites dot the sky
Sankranthi means ‘rooftop fun time’. Kite enthusiasts are seen enjoying on the roof with friends and relatives. They are so indulged in flying kites that they don’t even want take a break or rest. Even 24 hrs in a day is too short for kite lovers.
The one thing that most kite enthusiasts enjoy is kite fighting. It is the kite duels that are very interesting to watch and participate. Remember, this is unique to Hyderabad. Kite flyers use their skill and concentration to cut other’s kite and once the kite is cut, they express the joy of cutting the kite by shouting loudly ‘kaateh’. Ahhhhh it is fun.
Colorful rangoli designs are decorated in front of houses
Beautiful and colorful rangoli patterns are drawn in front of houses during Sankranthi. In middle of the rangoli, Gobbemmalu (cow dung balls) are placed and decorated with vermilion, turmeric and flowers. In many areas of Hyderabad, you can also see women creating rangoli the night before the festival – to save time for other activities in the morning.
In some areas, there are competitions held for the best rangoli pattern. You can see women in full spirit and totally involved in the rangoli competition, putting their best foot forward to win the prize. As it is a matter of pride for them and they enjoy doing it. On Sankranthi, people prefer wearing shades of yellow, as it is considered auspicious.
Don’t waste any time, start preparing Sankranthi delicacies, put rangoli in front of your home (it’s for women) and fly kites the Hyderabadi way!
You may also like to read:
- Sankranthi, Fighter Kites & Hyderabad
- Understand the Kite Flying Jargon Used in Hyderabad
- Places to Buy Good Kites and Manjas in Hyderabad