Hyderabad: Eruvaka is a special festival for farmers in certain certain regions of India, especially those living in Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions. It is celebrated at the start of the monsoon, usually in June or July.
The rains bring life back to the dry land, and Eruvaka is a way farmers express gratitude. On the occasion, they say thank you for the abundance of water the rain brings to help them ready for crops.
Imagine the state of parched lands after a long spell of hot summer. The rains quench the thirst of the dry land, and Eruvaka is like a big thank you to Mother Earth (Bhudevi) for giving land a new lease of life. Farmers also apologize for any harm they may have caused while ploughing the land throughout the year.
“For us farmers, Eruvaka holds the same significance as major festivals like Dussehra and Sankranti,” says Govardhan, a farmer in Mahabubnagar district.
But farmers can’t do everything by themselves. They have help from animals like cows, goats, and bulls who help them plough the fields for harvesting the crops. On Eruvaka, these animals get special treatment. They get a good bath, decorated with pretty things, and even get worshipped. It’s farmers’ way of according respect to their important friends.
Eruvaka is like getting your toolbox and garden supplies ready before you start planting. Farmers clean and decorate their plough, seed drill, and other tools. They might even do a little pretend-planting as part of a special prayer ceremony. It’s like a practice round before the real planting begins.
Suresh Kumar from Gadwal district Horticulture department says, “On behalf of the Horticulture Department, I would like to wish all farmers a happy Eruvaka Pournami. We hope this agricultural season will be prosperous for them, with ample rainfall.”
On Eruvaka, farmers come together to enjoy a delicious meal made with wheat, rice, barley, and sometimes even non vegetarian (depending on where they live). It’s a time to sing songs, tell stories, and just have a good time with friends and family. Eruvaka is also about hoping for a seasonful of good crops. Farmers visit their fields and pray to Mother Earth for a bountiful harvest.
Eruvaka reminds everyone how important farmers are. No matter how advanced technology gets, we still need people to plant and harvest our food. The festival also teaches us to respect the land and the animals that help us grow all the yummy things we eat.
Science and Superstitions
There’s even a bit of science mixed in with the celebration. Farmers believe that ploughing the land during the hot Jyeshta month might release bad gases into the air. So, on Eruvaka they only do a tiny bit of symbolic ploughing for the prayer ceremony. Another part of Eruvaka is based on the stars,The full moon (Pournami) happening at the same time as a special star formation called Jyeshta Nakshatra is considered lucky. Farmers believe that a bright full moon on this day means there will be lots of rain and a successful harvest.
Mahendra Goud, a farmer from Mandoddi village, says, “Eruvaka Pournami is a tradition that has been passed down through generations of farmers and It’s a time to celebrate and find renewed energy for the work ahead in the upcoming agricultural season.”
A Celebration of Life Itself
Eruvaka is more than just a harvest festival. It’s a celebration of life! It’s a time for farmers to be thankful for nature’s gifts, to get ready for a new planting season, and to enjoy being together. It also reminds all of us that we depend on the land and the farmers who grow our food. So next time you take a bite of something delicious, remember the farmers and the special festival of Eruvaka.
