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Tappeta Gullu Dance

Tappet Gullu is a devotional dance of Andhra Pradesh popular in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam. During the ancient times it was performed by cowherds and shepherds to amuse the Rain Goddess, Gangamma. At present the dance is performed in all village festivals celebrated in honor of the deity. The vigor, rhythm and tempo of Tappet Gullu are exceptional. The songs that are sung during the Tappet Gull dance are mostly in praise of Lord Vishnu.

Performance—the initial part of Tappet Gullu performance is in the form of a ritual, where a man moves around the village with an ornamented pot of water, symbolizing Goddess Gangamma. The next part of the dance takes place at night. Tappet Gullu is performed by a group of twelve to thirty men, who dance to the rhythm of the song. The dancers are dressed in a shirt, a turban and a loincloth; they also wear ankle-bells. The performers of the dance are accompanied by Tappet or gundlu, hung on the chest. It is a musical instrument similar to a drum. The dance of Tappet Gullu requires immense skill and muscle power. An important characteristic of the dance is that while dancing the artistes displays rare skills in acrobatics.

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