The most important festival for the Telugu nation is the harvest festival, "makara sankraanti."  It is a month (December/January) long festival and is celebrated in the villages . (In Andhra Pradesh, ~80% of the total ~80 million population is still agrarian).

"Haridaasu (servant of Lord Hari/Vishnu)" is a special attraction of this festival, just like Santa for Christmas. These Haridaasus wake up very early in pre-dawn hours, bathe, wear special saffron clothes, and visit each home in the village. They wear Vaishnavite markings on the face, necklaces of rudraksha (probably seeds of Guazuma tomentosa plant) beads, flower garlands, tamboora (stringed musical instrument) on one shoulder, chirutalu (castanets) in one hand, anklets with bells, etc., and visit homes while singing religious songs (Vaishnavite, especially praising Lord Rama). They collect the alms (especially rice), provided by the villagers, in a pot called akshayapaatra carried on the head.  Usually people belonging to saataana, daasara, raaju etc., castes/tribes practice this kind of lifestyle.  Villagers compete to give alms to these Haridaasus.

In addition to these Haridaasus, there will be a lot of other artists practicing their art and earning alms and accolades.  For more on this festival please visit:
http://members.iquest.net/~vepachedu/sankranti2000.htm

Happy Sankraanti!

Sreenivasarao Vepachedu, 01/13/2001