The Sadar Festival, a carnival of buffaloes, is celebrated annually by the Yadav community in Hyderabad. This festival, also known as DunnapothulaPandaga, was celebrated on a grand scale on Tuesday with thousands of participants showcasing bulls from the Yadav community.
The Sadar Festival takes place on the second day of Diwali, which commemorates Lord Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana and his return to Ayodhya after 14 years. It is also known as DunnapothulaPanduga. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm in various parts of the city, including Risala Bazar at Bolarum, Khairatabad, Narayanguda, Shaikpet, Saidabad, Ameerpet, Amberpet, Bowenpally, Hayatnagar, Nagole, Karwan, and Begum Bazar.
Buffaloes from all over the country, particularly from Haryana and Punjab, participate in the Sadar Festival. These buffaloes are known for their gigantic frames and majestic appearances. Other impressive bulls, including a 6.5 feet tall king from Punjab and Haryana, also take part in the celebration. During the festival, the buffaloes are adorned with oil, bright colors, garlands, anklets on their feet, sea-shell bands with bells, and peacock feathers on their horns. The procession starts at Musheerabad and concludes at Narayanaguda.
Nand Kishore Yadav, one of the organizers, mentioned that the Sadar Festival is the oldest festival of the Yadav community. The buffaloes and bulls demonstrate various tricks that their masters have trained them to perform, such as balancing on their hind legs. This spectacle never fails to entertain and amuse the crowd.
The diet of these bulls consists of milk, fruits, dry fruits, cotton seed cake, and sugarcane. For example, the Krishna bull consumes 10-15 liters of milk, 40-50 apples or four to five dozen bananas, and one kg of cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, and raisins every day.
