While the majority of us find it difficult to take out even one day from our fast-paced lives to celebrate a festival, can you imagine multiple villages coming together to celebrate one for 75 days? Yes, what sounds seemingly impossible is actually a traditional practice in the Jagdalpur region of Bastar, Chhattisgarh from the last 600 years. Bastar is widely recognised for its grand celebration of the festival of Dussehra which goes on for 75 days and is also known as the longest festival of the world. What's even more fascinating is that Bastar Dussehra is not about the triumph of Lord Ram over Ravan, but rather about cultural significance deep rooted in Bastar.
This grand festival has its history rooted in the early 15th century when the ruler of Bastar, King Purushottam Deo of Kakatiya Dynasty, being an avid devotee of Lord Jagannath, travelled from Bastar to Puri to take part in the Jagannath Rath Yatra while performing the ritual of “दंड आचरण”. As a result of his unwavering devotion, he was awarded with the title of “Rath-Pati” and a 16-wheel Chariot (Rath) was gifted to him. He offered 4 wheels to Lord Jagannath as a token of gratitude and brought back the rest to Bastar. Inspired by the Jagannath Rath yatra, King Purushottam started the tradition of Bastar Dussehra.
Bastar Dussehra is a festival devoted to Goddess Danteshwari, the family deity (इष्ट देवी) of the Royal Family. Devi Danteshwari is considered as one of the avatars of Maa Durga and one of the 52 shaktipeeths residing in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. While the festival is mainly centred around Goddess Danteshwari, the ancestral goddesses of other tribal groups of Bastar also hold a major significance. This celebration is a beautiful amalgamation of various tribal groups striving to preserve their traditional practices by the means of this grandeur.
The festival starts on the dark moon day (Krishna paksh or Hariyali amavasya) of Shravan month and ends on the 13th day Ashwin month. During this period, an array of rituals is carried out and different regional tribes hold a great importance in carrying them out. The preparation of this grand festivity is carried out by a huge number of people especially from tribal groups and what's even more special is that each group has its own pre-assigned task. This system ignites a sense of unity amongst the people while making them feel equally important and respected.
The festival begins with the ritual of “Pat Jatra” which involves bringing in the first log of wood from the jungles for the construction of the grand chariot. Locals utilize traditional techniques and equipment to construct a two storied chariot where the idol of deity Danteshwari is enthroned for the rite of rath yatra. Thereafter a series of customary rituals unfold including “Deri Gadhai”, “Kachan Gaadi”, “Jogi Bithai”, “Rath Parikrama” and so on. Finally, it all comes to an end with the farewell ceremony of deities and a concluding ritual called “Muriya Darbar” where a democratic discussion is held to solve the issues of the locals.
Alongside the rich tapestry of rituals, this festival is further enlightened with the sounds of tribal music and hymns along with breathtaking visuals of unique tribal artforms and handicrafts. If you are someone who is eager to witness the beauty of rituals passed down from generations then Bastar Dussehra must be on your “Experiences” list.
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