With rains playing truant, farmers in Telangana's Peddapapayapalli perform ‘Kappatalli'
On Friday, villagers, including farmers and women, tied two frogs to a wooden pole adorned with cloth and carried them in a solemn procession through the settlement. Accompanied by rhythmic drum beats, devotees sprinkled water on the amphibians while singing devotional hymns, seeking the mercy of Varuna, the Hindu rain God.
The ritual, passed down through generations, is performed during severe dry spells.
The decorated frogs symbolise a plea for timely rains, bountiful harvests, and prosperity for the farming community.
Rajaiah, a village elder, explained, 'We revive this tradition whenever drought looms. We'll keep praying until the skies open up.' With agricultural work stalled due to the delayed monsoon, farmers cling to hope that this ancient appeal will bring much-needed relief.
As the sun beats down on parched fields, Pedda Papayapalli's faith in tradition remains unshaken—a testament to the enduring bond between nature and agrarian life.
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