Maintained by hereditary Kuruma and Golla pastoral singer-priests across Telangana, Oggu Katha takes its name from the small hourglass oggu (damaru) hand-drum shaken vigorously to invoke Mallikarjuna (Mallanna), Beerappa, and Yellamma. 1
Dressed in saffron-yellow dhotis, ankle bells, and colourful turbans, a five-to-six-member ensemble alternates high-register choral refrains, comic prose repartee, and acrobatic circular jumps across multi-night open-air shrine vigils. 1
