'Garaga' means a pot. In the context of the village rituals and dance form, it is a pot, usually made of brass and decorated with turmeric and vermilion and with a colorful cloth.

In the days of yore, the priest or the "ganachari" used to carry the garaga on his head, dancing to the beats of dappus (drums) and moving on from one household to the other in the village. The ganachari was respectfully received and offered alms by woman of the house. The garaga was then taken to the temple and placed in front of the village goddess until the next festival. The priest danced around it until he went into a trance. In many household ceremonies, especially during marriages, the decorated pots are worshipped reverentially by the bride. After the wedding is solemnized, the garaga is sent to the in-laws' house where it is permanently stands as Goddess Gauri and is worshipped by the women folk.

During festivals, people carry the garagas, "utsava vigraha" on their heads and dance in a nightlong procession. Interestingly, the use of garaga has gradually moved from religious rituals to household rituals and has today become a folk performing art practiced by several communities.

There are legends that stress the importance of the garaga. This legend is about Draupadi, who, when she was accompanying her husbands to swarga after their death, suddenly fainted. When she woke up after sometime, her husbands disappeared. And a demon called Timirasura obstructed her onward journey. Then she became angry. She grew in size and wore a pot on her head, which shattered Timirasura to pieces. The pot is the sacred vessel sent to her by the Goddess and its very presence put the demon to death.

About 12 to 16 persons usually perform the energetic garaga dance, Garagallu, with the use of different narration.In recent times, the artists' style of dressing has also changed to suit their performance in the urban areas. 

They wear a tight knit pajama of red or yellow color, a matching kurta with folds at the bottom, a waistcloth and a turban upon which is placed the decorated pot. They also carry a bunch of neem leaves in their hands and sprinkle water from the garagas on the people and their houses as it is considered propitious.

The dancers usually have a drum about 8 inches in size tied around their neck. "Tappeta gundu" is a small drum closed on either side. Made of thick tin plate, it is covered with lamb's skin on the sides. In the days of yore, the metal part of the drum was made of clay.

About 15 to 30 dancers are seen mostly during village festivals and family rituals. The dancers are dressed in a quaint colorful attire. This includes a tight half shirt, a half trouser, a cloth turban, a long waist cloth with a part hanging down, three layers of bells stitched to the trouser and bells tied to the anklets. The tappeta (drum) hangs around their neck, touching the chest.

With the rhythmic beat of the drum coupled with the tinkling music of the bells, the performers sing and dance to enthrall thousands of villagers. The lyrics of the song of the Tappetagullu performers usually contain a narrative taken from the Bhagvatha and Ramayana. Sometimes local legends also serve as narratives. Some innovative performers compose humorous songs too, to highlight some common social themes.

The performance usually begins with an invocation to God. Each episode of the narrative is danced in a particular tala. Within each tala, the tone and pace go on increasing the tempo of singing and dancing. Each song and dance sequence ends with a logical conclusion. The dancers also exhibit exceptional acrobatics and skills. They do the balancing act well by standing one on the other to form a human tree or dancing on a pot. Sometimes they skillfully display the dance 2-3 pots full of water on their heads!

The Tappetagullu form is thus a combined performance of entertainment and devotion. This vigorous dance form has also come to be the most popular ballad being performed at important cultural festivals in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere.