Bhogi festival

Bhogi is the first day of the Sankranthi festival.

Since this day provides Bhogabhagyam, wealth, and luck to the people it is called Bhogi.

Bhogi History :

Even in Indian history, there is an importance to the Bhogi festival. The life of Bhagavad Ramanuja explains this. This incident happened in 800 AC. There was a devotee of Vishnu by the name of Vishnu Chittudu in Sri Villi Puttur. He finds a girl in a Tulasi garden and names her Goda Devi. Vishnu Chittudu considers the girl as his daughter and brings her up. When she attained marriageable age, she refused to marry anyone other than God himself. She performs Dhanurmasa vratam to marry Lord Vishnu. She writes Tiruppavai praising God for thirty days. The next day, Lord Vishnu appears before her and asks her to visit Sri Rangam. Vishnu Chittudu takes her to Sri Rangam and gets her married to Lord Sri Ranganatha Swamy, the reigning deity of Sri Rangam. As Goda Devi enters the sanctum sanctorum, she disappears. Since that day was Bhogi, devotees performed the marriage of Goda Devi on that day.

Bhogi Rituals and Customs:

On Bhogi day people lit huge bonfires in the early mornings. All the useless things in the house are thrown into this fire. Gobbillu was kept in the rangolis for the last month dried and thrown in the fire. Pongal is also cooked on this day. It is believed that if people get up early in the morning and take a head bath, all the ill effects can be removed. In the evening women invite other women to their homes. Small children in the house are given new clothes. They are given Aarti and are showered with Bhogi pallu which consists of gooseberries, sugar cane pieces, and flowers. It is believed that this procedure will protect children from evil forces.

Bhogi celebrations :

All the houses are cleaned and washed on the eve of Bhogi. Mango leaves and marigold flowers are used to decorate the houses. Rangolis are drawn in front of the houses and are decorated with flowers and colors. Cow-dung balls which are called Gobbillu are placed in the middle of the Muggu. Pumpkin flowers and marigolds are used in the decoration of gobbillu. Girls and women dance around these gobbillu singing songs.

2025 Date: January 13