The India Independence Day Parade is a celebration for the East Indian American community in the New York City areas.
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Hindu folk deity, regarded as a form of Vishnu by his adherents. He is considered to be a gramadevata in some rural regions of Maharashtra and South India, and sometimes considered to be the brother of a female folk deity, such Gangamma and Yellam .
Pothuraju — the very word evokes vivid images in the minds of anyone who’s grown up in Hyderabad-Secunderabad. As children, the mere sight of these whip-weilding, pot-bellied, yellow-skinned men dancing wildly in a trance to teen maar beats of dappus, filled your hearts with a strange mix of awe and fear. When they swayed — red tongue sticking out and eyeballs rolling up — you watched them with bated-breath.
Pothurajus perform a ritual called Ghau, which is a depiction of the Goddess storming ahead in rage, as she attacks the evil forces. in order to calm her down, an animal sacrifice used to be offered in the past. However, since animal offerings have been stopped at many temples, Pothurajus of late offer pumpkins and coconuts to appease the Goddess. “After Rangam (oracle), Pothurajus offer this sacrifice. At that point, we go into a deep trance, and in a moment it’s like we have transform from ordinary people into divine Pothaurajus.
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