Pedda Panduga — meaning 'the big festival' in Telugu — is observed on January 16, the third and final day of the Sankranti season. It is also called Mukkanuma ('three Kanumas'), marking the completion of the full Sankranti cycle: Bhogi (renewal), Sankranti (harvest), Kanuma (cattle gratitude), and Pedda Panduga (community and family). While it may not have the dramatic bonfires of Bhogi or the vivid cattle processions of Kanuma, Pedda Panduga carries a quiet social importance that is deeply felt in Telugu households.

Visiting Elders and Receiving Blessings

The central tradition of Pedda Panduga is paying respects to elders — grandparents, uncles, aunts, and respected members of the community. Families dress in their Sankranti new clothes, prepare boxes of traditional sweets and savouries (Ariselu, Gavvalu, Murukulu), and visit relatives. The elders in turn bless the younger generation with a touch on the head, a kind word, and often a small monetary gift. This cross-generational exchange of respect and blessings gives Pedda Panduga its warm, community-binding character.

Folk Arts: Harikatha and Burrakatha

Pedda Panduga is also the traditional day for folk performances. In villages and towns across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, performers of Harikatha (devotional storytelling through song and drama), Burrakatha (a folk narrative art form with percussive accompaniment), and Oggu Katha (devotional performance for the god Mailara) take to the streets and community spaces. Watching these performances — often drawn from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, or local deity legends — is an integral part of the festive experience. Many of these art forms are being actively preserved through state cultural institutions.