The drought situation has forced a large number of Dalit women of rural areas in Adilabad district to the streets for Holi inam as part of Kamudu Ata on the occasion of Holi festival. 

Although there is a tradition among Dalits to ask for Holi inam in the villages and towns by playing Kamudu Ata with claps to the tune to songs, the number of Dalit women who are asking for Holi inam has increased considerably this year due to the drought and difficulties in looking after their families. 

Earlier about six Dalit women’s groups, consisting of fewer than 10 members, used to collect Holi inam. This year the number of groups have increased to 20 in every village, including Karanji, Kurya, Deepaiguda, Anandpur, Kapiri and Saghvi villages in Jainad Mandal.

The situation is almost the same elsewhere in Adilabad district.    Devamma (50) of Jainad mandal headquarters who was going around the town along with her five-member team, says, “What will we do otherwise? The drought situation has forced us to the streets to ask for Holi inam.”  She says this year the number of women’s groups has increased in every village and there is competition among them in collecting Holi inam.

Even women from the besta (fisherman) community of Potchera village have come out asking for Holi inam.  Dalit women start Kamudu Ata since the day of Amavasya and collect Holi inam. They stop the practice on the Holi festival.

Kamudu is played for 15 days between Amavasya and Punnami. Lamxi (45) of Thamsi Mandal says there are no agriculture-related works in the villages due to the drought and it is difficult for them to look after their families in the prevailing circumstances. She says there is no minimum support price for cotton this time and they have been forced to sell cotton at Rs 1,000 per quintal unlike in the past.

 (Source: Deccan Chronicle)