Gobbemmala Patalu are sung during the time of sankranthi by young girls. Sakranthi is the festival of harvest. Indians primarily being farmers earlier, used to celebrate this festival during the time of harvest i.e January when the entire years efforts are in front of their eyes in the form of Rice etc.....
Makar Sankranti marks the commencement of the Sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere (Makara raasi ), signifying the onset of Uttarayana Punyakalam, and is a day of celebration all over the country. The whole event lasts for four days, the first day Bhogi, the second day Sankranti, the third day Kanuma and the fourth day, Mukkanuma.
One month preceeding Sankranti is called Dhanurmasam and is also an auspicious period. Haridasu's wake up early, take bath and go around the streets singing devotional songs. Houses are whitewashed and farmers clean their warehouses. Colorful rangoli (muggulu) are drawn in the front yards of every house during this month. These patterns are decorated with marigold placed on cowdung balls and are called Gobbemmas. Colorfully dressed young girls go round them singing songs.
The young girls prepare gobbemma using cow dung(which used serve as a pesticide) and decorate it with flowers and keep it in the muggu or kolam(artistic floral designs are drawn on the floor with rice flour or fine powder from limestone) in front of their house. This is continued the entire month of Dhanurmasam and during these days, they used to celebrate Sandegobbemma in each little girls house.
Sandegobbemma is three big gobbemmas representing lord Krishna along with his mother Yashoda and Gopemma's or Gopika's. The girls invite each other to their house and then start going around these gobbemma's like Gopemma's or Gopikas singing songs. These songs are called Gobbemmala patalu and they teach the young girl about the nature, Indian culture, Indian traditions, Indian mythology etc etc.
For eg: The below song if we see tells the growth of the plant right from the stage of sapling till the fruit.
Dukkulu Dukkulu Dunnarata, Emi Dukkulu Dunnarata,
Rajavari Thotalo Jama Dukkulu Dunnarata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Vithu Vithu vesarata, Emi vithu vesarata,
Rajavari thotalo Jama vithu vesarata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Mokka Mokka molichindata, Emi mokka molichindata,
Raja vari thotalo Jama mokka molichindata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Puvvu Puvvu Poochindata, Emi puvvu poochindata,
Rajavari thotalo Jama puvvu poochindata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Kaaya kaaya kachindata, Emi kaaya kaachindata,
Raja vari thotalo Jama kaaya kachindata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
Pandu Pandu pandidata, Emi pandu pandidata,
Rajavari thotalo Jama pandu pandindata.
Aanati akkallaraa, Chandragiri Bhamallaraa,
Bhamalagiri Gobbiyyallo Gobbiyyallo.
You Listen to these classics at http://www.esnips.com/web/Gobbemmapatalu
