Scenes of traditional Haridasulu and Gangireddula melalu going around villages carrying little QR code stands to allow patrons to make digital payments have come as a surprise to many.
“The dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote digital payments in India should become a reality. We have to encourage online payments,” says P. Ranganadhudu, a Haridasu.
At least two or three Haridasulu, Budigajangalu and Gangireddula melams have been visiting every day during the festival season, and all of them were accepting digital payments made by scanning the QR codes they provided, says the villagers of Pedana in Krishna district.
“I was surprised to see the QR codes of digital payment Apps like Paytm, Googlepay, PhonePe and Bhim. The QR Code was arranged between the horns of a Gangireddu,” says a ninth-class student Swapnika, who came to her grandmother’s house in Machilipatnam to celebrate Sankranti. She transferred ₹10 to the Gangireddu melalu by scanning the QR code from her mobile.
“Villagers offer rice, fruits and clothes to us. However, they were asking for phone number or the QR code to transfer money,” a Haridasulu Sri Hari in Podu village.
“As many people are asking for QR Codes to make digital payments, we arranged it. After receiving the money, we bless them,” says Sri Hari.
As part of the tradition, parents of newly married couples give the garlands and ‘basikalu’ used during the wedding to the Gangireddu melalu. We will make the Gangireddu perform feats and seek alms, says a Gagireddula melam, Ranga Rao, Rama Rao, Satyanarayana and Ramakoti.
We will read all the names of the family members, pray for their well-being and give blessings to the elders and children in the family. The villagers ask us to come for Sankranti next year, says a Budabukkalu melam, Janakiramaiah, who was seen seeking alms in Pallepalem village.
“It was happy to see QR codes displayed on the headgears of Haridasulu and in between the horns of Gangireddulu. We were able to give alms easily through digital mode,” says B. Uma Maheswari of the same village.
