Burra Katha, is an incredible, oral storytelling technique in Katha
tradition, performed in villages of Andhra Pradesh. "Burra" is
referred to a musical string instrument like tambura, with a hollow
shell while "Katha" means story. The troupe of Burra Katha consists of
a main performer accompanied by two co-performers.It is a popular, narrative form of entertainment involving prayers,
solo drama, dance, poems, skit, songs, and jokes. The concept is
usually a Hindu mythological story or any contemporary social issue.
Burra Katha is also used for propagating political ideas and social awareness among illiterate masses in rural hinterlands. Apart from Tambura, the shell is also made of baked clay or dried pumpkin, or a combination of brass and copper. Burra Katha is considered a favorite pastime event in villages. It is organized prominently during Dussehra or Sankranti festivals where villagers gather for entertainment and wisdom, in the form of narrative story telling involving epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata.