Tappeta Gullu

Tappeta Gullu is a devotional dance of Andhra Pradesh popular in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam. Tappeta Gullu is performed 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 presnt the dance is performed in all village festivals celebrated in honor of the deity. The vigor, rhythm and tempo of Tappeta Gullu is exceptional. The songs that are sung during the Tappeta Gullu dance are in mostly in praise of Lord Vishnu. In the dance stories from Indian mythologies like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and the lives of the ten incarnations of Vishnu.

The initial part of Tappeta Gullu is in the form of a ritual, where a man moves around the village with an ornamented pot of water, symbolizing Godesss Gangamma. The next part of the dance takes place at night. Tappeta 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 Tappeta or gundlu, hung on the chest. It is a musical instrument similar to a drum. The dance of Tappeta Gullu requires immense skill and muscle power. An important characteristic of the dance is that while dancing the artistes display rare skills in acrobatics. While performing the dancers stand one above the other on the thighs and shoulders of each other and form the the shape of a gopuram or a tree.