Maha Sivaratri and Basava Jayanthi are the most important. On
Mahasivarathri day all elders fast and those who do observe
fast, do not take regular meal, but take only light refreshments.
They do worship LORD-SIVA and conduct the BHAJANA dur-
ing whole night of SIVARATRI festival day. Another important fes-
tival for women is Nagulachavithi, when women worship the snake
(NAGUPAMU) God by going to anthill and applying vermillion
and turmeric to it and pouring cowmilk in the ant-hill, Puja items
like Kumkuma, Turmeric, Vibhuti, Agarbathi, Comphor, Flowers,
Bilwapatri (Maredupatri) are used in the worship.
Karthika Month is observed as a pious and holy month.
They observe fast on Mondays in Karthikamasam generally.
They visit srisailam, Kotappa Konda, Srikalahasti and
Tirupati etc. holy pilgrim places occasionally.
16. DIVORCE:
Divorce is permitted by the caste Panchayat on the grounds
of wife's infidelity or husbands ill-treatment. If the divorce is initi-
ated by the husband, he has to pay her half of the expenditure
incurred on marriage where as if it is initiated by the wife, she
has to pay him the entire expenditure incurred on marriage. As
per the circumstances the children are looked after by either of
the parents.
17. DIVORCE -WIDOW - REMARRIAGES :
Among Bedajangams remarriages are permissible for wid-
ows, widowers and divorcees. This kind of marriages are called
"UDIKP, where the customs and ritual rites of the first marriage
are not observed. In marriage, couple go to a temple and tie
MANGALASUTRAM (PUSTE) to the widow or divorcee. Another
custom is that when the wife dies, the widower remarries the
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