A Gowdathi Goes to Bazaar Halakki Vokkals are confined to the coastal talukas of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. They have a rich folklore. The hair are parted in the center and brought back into a pendulous bun. Their nose, ears, necks, arms and ankles are loaded with ornaments made of brass, copper and silver. They have a great fancy for blue, yellow and red beads, and wear them in large numbers, around their necks in the form of strings.
Men are of darker complexion and wear a short rumal on their heads.
The old timers do not like to wear more than a loin-cloth, but the youngsters go in for shirts. Two weeks in advance they commence practicing singing and dancing in an open space, at nights. They lavishly spend their hard earned money on gorgeous costumes and musical instruments. On an auspicious day the dancers gather in a community pendal and offer prayers to their deity and seek blessings of the elders. The village head has the privilege of witnessing the dance performance first.