The Holi is being celebrated in Bastar with peculiar traditional zeal and enthusiasm. The celebrations begun from ‘Vasant
Panchami’, the initiator of spring till the date of “Holika-Dahan”. Here Holika stand for and symbolizes the evil and a symbolic funeral ceremony of all the evils of human being: manasa, vacha, karmana i.e. from minor heart, speech and action; to send them off with a view to start new life of mutual affection and understanding.
During the dance of holi-celebrations the famous ‘Dandari-Nat’ by all sectors of tribals can be seen in the tribal villages spread over Bastar. With the emergence of gentle wind of spring the tribals here are found emerged deep – in pleasant and joyful environment till the date of ‘Holika Dahan’.
To begin with people use to bow their hearts among Goddage Danteshwari with offerings of gulal and amra-moura and basant panchami. This day at Dantewada the devotees use to carry the ‘Palki’ of Goddage Danteshwari from temple premises to oldest available lake – ‘Rani Tarai’, singing, dancing with band of procession. They use to offer gulal to ‘Palki’ of Goddage Danteshwari first and then enjoy the festivity by applying gulal in groups as well as to each other’s faces. This concludes on Second day. On this day they make ‘Parikrama’ (rotation) the surrounding of entire Dantewada town in form of a procession in between surroundings. Local residents use to perform symbolic cleaning of legs called ‘Pad-Pakharana’.
From this day, till the funeral ceremony of Holika, tribal masses use to evolve their pleasant mood by using round knots of bamboo and scrapped bamboo as cane-couple and aiming knot to each other, associated with traditional group dances. This dance is popularly known here as ‘Dandari-Nat’. The theme behind this dance is to keep and get alive in tribal masses, their inner or inherited energies as it was in battle field. This dance inspires them to remain ever prepared with power and energy against any calamity and war like situations.
On the 9th day of falgun month ‘Lamha-Mar’ and on 10th day ‘Gour-Mar’ is celebrated. The dance groups use to decorate themselves alike wild animals and hunters as well. By these two celebrations they exhibit their traditional haunting images. The tribals of Bastar use to call ‘Pardi’ to their traditional trends of group hunting of wild life. This act shows as to how they secure themselves from wild animals and recreate themselves by hunting.
Prior to it on 6th day of Falgun month they use to establish ‘Kalash’ the candle at ‘Mandhaki-Dabra’ of Dantewada. For this function, the temple committee invites all the deities of nearby villages along with their ‘Chariots’.
On the 7th day of Falgun month they use to make offerings by washing palm leaves at ‘Mata-Tarini’. This is called
‘Tora-Patta-Ga-Dhovani’. On the 8th day the process of ‘Kher-Khudani’ is done. On this occasions, the dancing parties reached from various places, use to perform dances of their cult in Danteshwari temple through out the night.
On the 9th day of fullmoon fortnight almost entire Dantewada is found busy in dancing and enjoying the festivity forgetting everything of their routine life. This is called ‘Nach Mandani’ process, it continues till holika dahan. In the long lasting chains of festivity the ‘Fog’ a form of songs which is not socially admitted as healthy trend, alike Bundelkhand is also observed.
Lastly, on the day of ‘Holika Dahan’, the traditional ‘Anwra-Mar’ is celebrated. The youth irrespective of sex and age use to keep ‘Avla’ in ‘Palki’ or ‘Doli’ of Danteshwari and after offerings they divide the ‘Avla in two equal parts and use to divide themselves in two groups keeping a part of ‘Avla’ within the group and then the play starts. The groups use to throw ‘Avla’s’ on each other. By this they show their oneness, pleasure, guity and over and above all the supremacy of Goddage Danteshwari in their lives. This sort of unity oriented pleasant atmosphere associated with devotion to Danteshwari Devi is unique within itself.
After Holika-Dahan devotees use to collect the pure fire to life up their homes, villages and personal holi’s. From this divine fire of Dantewada, at Madhpal village after offerings to mother the holika dahan is celebrated. From madhpal’ holi the divine fire is being brought to Mavali Mata temple and Jagganath temple.
In most of the villages the ‘Holika Dahan’ is done only after getting pure fire from Madhpal. And they began the never lasting moods of enjoyments, sagacity fog and Dandari Nat.
After ‘Holika Dahan’ at Dantewada on full-moon day near the juncture of two rivers Shankhani and Dankani the leg impressions marked of Bhairamdev is being prayed with rites and rituals called ‘Paduka-Pujan-Vandhana’. Thereafter, all the deities invited are sendoff along with ‘Chariots’. with due respect. Thus the holi with peculiar rituals and offerings to ‘Shiva-Shakti’ is attractive and unique within itself, which has no comparison where so ever.
So, this was Bastar’s holi. eTDS TechnoSys wishes you a prosperous and happy holi…
Related posts:
- Bastar Dussehra: A Symbol Of Tradition, Unity & Strength
- Cock Fight : Unbelievable Traditional Fare of Bastar
- Non Dared to Celebrate Holi Under the Threat of Naxal Bloodshed
- The Police In Attacking Mood, Against The Naxals
- BREAKING NEWS: Naxals opened firing over BJP Leaders Tansen Kashyap And His Brother Dinesh Kashyap
Someone Wrote