Budabudakkalu vallu & Tommy our dog

There are different communities in the villages and some communities migrate to villages on seasonal basis. Some cultivate their own lands, some work as labourers and some arrange some street plays and earn money. Buda Budakkalu Vallu is one community who goes from one village to the other to beg for food, money etc.

Buda Budakkalu Vallu - basically this community wear lot of clothes and are of different colors and variety. They carry a lantern, a stick, a dog, some bells and also a Damru (musical instrument). they generally go to houses very early in the morning say around 3 am or so. They shout while playing the Damru. People get up to give them money etc. Generally these people visit in winter season. The children wait to see them. Many children get frightened to see them. Some hold hands of their elders and see these people.

As I mentioned in my post on pet animals, we were having a dog named Tommy. Tommy is not only liked in the family but also by people in the village and nearby villages as it always accompany my father when he goes on medical practice. One day the Buda Budakkalu Vallu approached my father and requested for Tommy. they wanted to take the Tommy with them. My father told them that Tommy is one of our family members and we cannot leave Tommy. After that on two to three occasions again they approached but we decided not to give Tommy to them.

After few days we found Tommy was missing. This news spread over to all the nearby villages and people were sympathising and were asking how it happened. We were all in the house were sad were not taking food. After a week or so, when one of the villages visited a long distance place on his official work, he heard a barking noice of a dog. Suddenly he realised that the Tommy was missing and he went near the place where the dog barking and to his surprise he saw Tommy there and these Buda Budakkalu Vallu tied it with rope. This person slowly went near and opend the knot. The dog showed affection to the person and left that place. How it managed to find the route back home, but finally it reached home. All were very happy and this news spread all over. When the gentelman came back we came to know about Tommy and how he could manage to liberate the Tommy.