Akadi Festival is one of the many festivals celebrated in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Also known as the Rajula Devara Festival, the Akadi festival is observed by the Gonds either on Sunday or Thursday before the full moon day in the month of Akadi (June-July). This festival is celebrated at Malepalle near Adilabad. The festival is held in honour of Sri Pollam Raju Devara who is said to be the monarch of the hills and forests and is as such performed in the nearby forest.
In the celebration of this festival, all the male members of the family, along with their children and cattle, go to this forest for the Puja. The premises where the Puja is supposed to be held are smeared with cow dung and then decorated with Jowar flower. Kheer or Payasam are cooked and the cattle are fed in the name of the deity. Following the performance of the Puja, two goats and two fowls are sacrificed to appease the God. A straight line of 10-15 metres is drawn with turmeric powder and the cattle are cattle are made to cross over it before they are driven away to the forest without any guard.
In the meantime, the women prepare the feast with the meat of the sacrificed animals and it is consumed by all the people present. The Kheer, which is a kind of dessert, is also served to all the invitees. The cattle which were driven away to the forest are brought back on the following day. If on return to the village, all the cattle are found to have returned, it is believed that the Pollam Raju has protected their cattle against wild animals.
From the festive day, the Dhandari Dance is played till the end of Diwali. Besides participating in this festival, each household sacrifices a fowl to Pochamma, invoking her blessing to protect their cattle against diseases.
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