Festival of Harvest to be celebrated tomorrow

Mysore/Mysuru: With Sankranti, the Festival of Harvest, being celebrated tomorrow (Jan. 15), markets and shops in the city have been flooded with the yellu-bella (sesame-jaggery), sugarcane stalks, puja items, flowers and other items.

People have been thronging Devaraja Market, Vani Vilas Market and other markets across the city to make purchases  for festival.

This year, the farmers have brought sugarcane not only from surrounding villages of Mysuru but from Mandya and neighbouring Tamil Nadu as well. While the prices of commodities varied from place to place in city, each sugarcane stalk was sold at Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 on an average.

The prices of Hurigadale (Roasted Bengal Gram) was Rs. 120 per kg, jaggery pieces (Rs. 120 per kg), Ground Nut (Rs. 160 per kg), Copra pieces (Rs. 300 per kg), White Sesame (Rs. 300 per kg) and Sakkare Acchu (molded sugar candy) was sold between Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 per kg. Yellu-bella (a mixture of jaggery, copra, roasted gram and peanuts) was sold at Rs. 180 per kg.

However, there were no major changes in the prices of vegetables in the markets. Yelakki Banana, one of the popular Banana variety in this part of the region, was sold between Rs. 25 and Rs. 150 per kg depending on the variety and size.

Meanwhile, the prices of the flowers have increased when compared to normal days with Chrysanthemum string sold at Rs. 50 per meter and Mysuru Mallige (Jasmine) buds costing Rs. 2,000 per kg.

With authorities imposing strict ban on use of plastic covers, people were seen purchasing small and medium size plastic boxes to distribute mixture of yellu-bella among friends and relatives.

People from nearby town and villages were seen purchasing flowers and sugarcane stalks in the markets and at the main junctions including Agrahara Circle, Dhanvantri Road,  V.V. Mohalla and other locations across the city. Women were also seen purchasing new sarees and bangles for festival celebrations.

The traditional ‘Kicchu Haisuvudu’ ritual which involves making cattle leap over fire will be held across the city and in rural areas tomorrow. The cattle will be smeared with turmeric, which is rich in antimicrobial properties, before being guided to leap of the fire. The tradition is followed with a belief that it will ward off evil and bring good luck.