On the day of Muharram, it was a sea of humanity at Gugudu Kullaiswamy’s ‘Makaan’ that shares the wall with the Sri Anjaneyaswamy temple in this small otherwise sleepy village in the district.
Kullaiswamy is a Muslim peer, but a majority of devotees are Hindus and they come from far off places in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana besides all districts of Andhra Pradesh to pay their obeisance at the ‘Makaan.’
Religious amity is on full display with the Hindus chanting ‘Govinda namam’ and Muslims praising Allah in the same room. They wait patiently in the hot sun for hours together to get a glimpse of the 21 peers, which are on display for just 10 days. On Muharram day, a majority of them pay a visit, sleep there overnight and watch the peers taken in a procession in the village before they are kept back in large trunks.
Large tents on both sides of the road leading to the village, and the sight of men, women and children dressed in their best awaiting their turn in a one-km-long queue line complete the festive atmosphere.
Right in front of the Anjaneya Swamy temple and the ‘Makaan’ is a large bonfire into which devotees keep dropping several inflammable items in fulfilment of their wishes or for making new ones. The newly-wed couples and the ones that are going to tie the knot, pray for a happy and healthy life. Many who suffer from various ailments roll on the road in front of the ‘Makaan.’
Hoary tradition
On the night of Muharram, the peers are carried by traditional Archaka Dudekula Hussainappa and his two sons, who are the descendants of those in the job since 1922 when it was built. They walk across a bed of red hot coals to take the peers back into the ‘Makaan.’
The atmosphere on Friday was colourful with all trappings of a massive mela and a bit of entertainment component for the children. Police were deployed in strength to regulate the queue line, traffic and parking of vehicles.
