Kannada Actor Vijay Raghavendra Finds Deep Meaning in Sankranti Celebrations
For popular Kannada actor Vijay Raghavendra, the Sankranti festival represents much more than seasonal festivities. It serves as a powerful reminder of renewal, cultural heritage, and the agricultural traditions his family has cherished across generations. As Sankranti approaches, the actor opens up about his childhood celebrations, favorite festive foods, changing traditions, and how portraying a farmer on screen helped him rediscover his ancestral connections.
Sankranti Feels Like Coming Home
Vijay Raghavendra describes Sankranti as a festival that genuinely feels like returning home. The harvest celebration holds profound significance for his family, connecting them to their agricultural legacy. He explains that the true essence of Sankranti lies in what it represents for farming communities and how it was traditionally observed in his native villages of Saligrama and Gajanur.
"The festival has always symbolized hope for me," Vijay reveals. "According to our calendar, it marks the New Year. For me, Sankranti remains deeply connected to our roots."
The actor comes from a family with generations of farming experience. He expresses tremendous respect for agricultural land and the farmers who work it. "While we belong to the farming community, I'm not a farmer yet," he admits. "But perhaps fifteen years from now, I can envision myself getting involved in farming."
Festival Memories Revolve Around Food and Nostalgia
Today, Vijay acknowledges that habba primarily means delicious food and cherished memories. "I eagerly await sweet pongal and other traditional sweets," he shares. Bele holige holds a special place in his heart. "I playfully torment my mother, sister, and friends to prepare it for me—even when it's not the holige season," he says with a laugh.
Recalling his childhood, Vijay remembers families gathering together to make bellada acchu. His grandmother, mother, aunts, sisters, and cousins would follow the ellu beero tradition, visiting relatives and neighbors during the celebrations.
Reflecting on how festivities have transformed over time, Vijay observes that Sankranti isn't celebrated with the same intensity as before. "Festivals in general have become much quieter and more nuclear," he notes. "But even if the scale has diminished, revisiting those memories still brings immense joy."
Portraying a Farmer in Mahaan Reconnected Him to Village Life
Discussing his upcoming film Mahaan, Vijay shares that he plays a farmer who becomes an advocate, assisting other farmers unfamiliar with legal procedures. "Shooting in a village environment completely grounded us," he recalls. This experience highlighted how harvest festivals continue to be celebrated on a larger, more meaningful scale in rural areas.
Despite his family background, Vijay confesses that playing a farmer required genuine effort. "I would be dishonest if I claimed it was easy just because my family has farming roots," he states honestly. "Through this character, I truly received an opportunity to reconnect with my origins."
Vijay Raghavendra is currently working on multiple projects including Mahaan and Second Case of Seetahram. His reflections on Sankranti reveal how cultural traditions continue to shape his identity, connecting his cinematic career with his agricultural heritage in meaningful ways.
