Next Generation Keeps Haridasu Tradition Alive

As the city prepares to celebrate Sankranti, a quieter ritual unfolds in the early hours of Visakhapatnam, carried forward by Haridasas who announce the harvest festival through prayer and song. Though the tradition endures, it is increasingly shaped by changing urban life and a gradual generational shift.

Before most neighbourhoods awaken, 51 year old V. Babji steps onto the streets of MVP Colony, immersed in devotion. By dawn, he is dressed in silk, garlands around his neck, a copper Akshaya Patra balanced on his head, chanting the Hari Nama Sankeerthana. For him, Sankranti begins not with festivities, but with walking from door to door.

Across the city, the arrival of Sankranti and the sacred month of Dhanurmasam continues to be marked by Haridasas moving through localities, singing devotional kirtans and offering blessings. The practice, long woven into the fabric of the harvest festival, continues this year as well, though visible changes have set in.

Many senior Haridasas, who followed the physically demanding routine for decades, now find themselves limited by age and health. Early mornings, long walks and hours of singing have become difficult. In several families, younger members have begun stepping in, ensuring the ritual does not fade with the older generation.

Mr. Babji, who has upheld his family’s practice for years, says the city has transformed around him. “Earlier, children followed us through the lanes listening to the tambura. Now, with apartments and busy lives, very few people respond,” he said. The shift is also evident in the alms received. Where the Akshaya Patra once collected 25 to 30 kg of rice, it now holds far less, even after walking from morning till evening.

For most of the year, Mr. Babji and his wife Ratnam work as daily wage labourers. During Karthika Masam, Dhanurmasam and Sivaratri, they return fully to the Haridasu life. Ms. Ratnam said their son, now employed as a mechanic, is not interested in continuing the tradition.

Veteran Haridasu P. Venkata Ramana shares a similar experience. After nearly three decades of walking the streets, health issues have forced him to scale back. This Sankranti, his son Satish has taken his place, reflecting a quiet generational transition.

Despite physical strain, declining public response and uncertainty about continuity, the Haridasu tradition continues in Visakhapatnam, sustained by faith, habit and a sense of responsibility passed down through generations.