Addapu Vaaru Hakku Patras

Addapu Vaaru Hakku Patras – a sub-caste of Mangali (Nayee Brahmin) are professional narrators of Addapu Katha. Based on a painted scroll (patam), they describe the history of origin and evolution of Mangali caste, which is their patron caste. As per Aadipurana, a seer called Sumangali did penance and took a barber (mangali) to perform the marriages of Gods. From the ‘Vibhoothi gundams’ created by Lord Siva a ‘Angaraka’ planet was born. He was called ‘Kshowraka’ (barber). After performing the marriages of Gods, Kshowraka asked the trio of God (Brahman, Vishnu, Maheswara) what he should do further. They told him to shave maiden beard and hair and gave him a mirror, ‘Chandravanka’ (crescent moon) a stone for grinding razor, and a pot to keep water. So the descendants of ‘Angaraka’ (one of the planet) became the barbers of our times. So goes the legend, on one occasion ‘Angaraka’ scolded his son for telling lies, and cursed to become ‘Arthi mangali’ as dependent. The Arthi mangali of our time became Addapuvaru. The narrator of Addapu Katha holds a stick to point figures in the painted scroll and explains the events to the audience. The accompanists play musical instruments and sing in chorus. They perform in the house of caste-elder or in the barbers street. Their narration starts in the morning and continues till evening. They take remuneration for their performance. They carry Hakku Patras stating the names of those villages assigned to them. In the period of Osman Ali Khan the Seventh Nizam these professional Addapuvaaru were felicitated and given these Hakku Patra.