• This 75 day festival is about Ma Danteshwari with Vanvasis celebrating it and the Maharaja of Bastar being a titular head. It is not about Sri Ram and Ravana.

This was my second visit to Bastar in 2018, the first being in 2012. Lots of change. This 75 day festival is not about Sri Ram and Ravana but about Ma Danteshwari with Vanvasis celebrating it and the Maharaja of Bastar being a titular head.

Flew into Raipur. Took a bus that dropped me to the highway from where took an evening bus to Dantewada. Reached around 1 am, walked to the hotel.

This photo feature is in two parts, one my experience and two information on festival provided by Chhatisgarh Tourism.

The first two days i.e. Monday and Tuesday were spent seeing the development activities in the area. Loved the Education City at Geetham, a huge complex of educational institutions and Call Centre Dantewada

In 2018 October 17 was when Maoli Devi left Dantewada, 18 reception of Maoli in Jagdalpur, 19 was Dussehra-Rath Parikrama, 20^th Baahar Raini Rath Parikrama. Note that Devi Maoli is a manifestation of Ma Danteshwari.

On October 17 morning there was puja at Danteshwari Mandir. There is mass havan in temple premises.

Feeding of girls at Danteshwari Mandir. 

In evening the procession of Mauli left temple for Jagdalpur. Note festival begins with Kachhangadi & Paat Jatra festival in front of Danteshwari Mandir. At start is a Gour dance performance by Bison Horn Maria outside temple. You will also meet Maria, Bhatras, Dhurvas, Abhuj (hill) Marias and Hilbas communities.

It is live wire. The big drum is called MANDAR. Bison is the name of wild buffalow. Men have its horns on their head.

Lady performers of Bison Horn Maria. Notice jewellery round neck. 

A huge procession of Mauli and Bison dancers leave the temple and walk through Dantewada. The music is hummable and unique. Without the marias and their music the festival would be incomplete.

It stops at various places enroute to reach Jagdalpur that night.

I took a car and reached Dantewada by 8 pm. At the hotel got to know of Nisha Jatra that starts from Bastar Palace about 9.30 pm. Took an auto to palace. The main hall was full of locals. Outside hall saw ANGA DEO, it is the much respected shape of God and can have a ladder life shape, stone, tree or stick. Adivasis swerve with their Anga Deo in the hall – as if they are in a trance. If you are not careful could get injured.

After a while the king came down, then the Adivasis with their Anga Deo proceed for Nisha Jatra (it is a procession of lights that leaders to the puja mandap).

Men from the milk producer community carry earthen pots containing lentils dal and rice to a small temple near Anupam Chowk. 

The festival events are post 4 pm ish. So during the day visited Chitrakoot Waterfalls, and Friday Haat Market (hen fights must see) At Jagdalpur is Jogi Bithai  (The Jogi's Penance). A youth of the Halba community sits (buried shoulder deep in a pit) in penance for the success of the festival.

Jogi Bithai is close to the Danteshwari Temple. 

Devi Maoli i.e. brought from Dantewada on Oct 17 and kept at Jiya Dera all night and on Oct 18 for public darshan.

At Jiya Dera. 

Again Bison Horn Marias led the procession called Maoli Parghav. Jiya means pujari and Dera means place where the pujari stops.

Procession is through streets of Dantewada that leads to Palace. Awesome. 

Lady on left performed all through. 

On the same road the King of Bastar receives Devi Mauli and takes the palanquin on his shoulders to Danteshwari Mandir i.e. in the palace. Following the King are vanvasis with their  Anga Deo (palanquins of divinities) waiting to go into temple.

King waiting for Devi Mauli.

Having received her King proceeds to Danteshari Mandir. Credit Arun Mishra. 

Meanwhile a chariot is being made. It is on this chariot that Devi Maoli would be kept and a procession taken through Jagdalpur. Carpenters come from village Beda Umargaon. It is constructed by the Saoras community.

Fully lit up Danteshwari Temple, Jagdalpur.

Devi Mauli being taken up the chariot.

Devotees pulling the chariot.

All along members of the Bison Horn Maria play their music. 

Next day Oct 19 is Bheeter Raini with Rath Parikrama i.e. held on Vijayadashami. The chariot takes a circumambulatory course around  Mauli temple after which it is parked for the night. As a ritual around 400 marias & murias steal the chariot away to Kumdakot.

Vanvasis with their Anga Deo at Kumdakot. They also carry kolam deo (kind of parasol), sticks. 

Kumdakot (sal grove) is about seven minutes by auto from Bastar Palace. Takes place a day after Vijayadashami and post 3 pm. Day after chariot is stolen, the king visits Kumdakot. He sits in a tent, begins with a prayer and then is offered the first harvest of the season. Villagers bring their local deities here and then swerve with their Anga Deo. After having prasad from her, the chariot is pulled back to Bastar Palace.

Chariot being pulled back to Bastar Palace. 

After seeing the pulling back, I left for the hotel. Next day took a bus to Raipur. Nowdays there are flights to Jagdalpur so no need for a 7 hour bus drive.

Next is Kachan Yatra. Last function is OHADI where the deities who congregated at Jagdalpur from various parts of Bastar are big farewell. It marks the end of Bastar Dussehra. I missed. To read in more detail

Pranams to Ma Danteshwari.

Matter by Chhatisgarh Tourism

“Bastar abounds in natural beauty with rich deciduous forests, stunning waterfalls and caves, rare flora and fauna and enchanting tribal culture. Besides, it is also known for its unique Dushehra celebrations. 

Bastar Dussehra, a vibrant repertoire of rich tribal traditions, colorful rituals, folk music, dance and a lively crowd is simply not worth missing. This festival begins with the dark moon (Amavasya) also known as Hareli Amavasya in the month of Shravan and ends on the thirteenth day of the bright moon in the month of Ashwin. It’s the time when deities from all the villages congregate at the temple of Danteshwari in Jagdalpur, the district headquarters.

The Bastar Dushehra reaches its crescendo in the last 10 days of the 75 - day festival. The presiding deity is Ma Danteshwari Devi and Dussehra is the propitiation of the goddess for having rescued the Bastar king from an evil opponent. Chalukya Purushottam Deo Kakatiya, the 15th century Bastar king, once visited Puri’s Jagannath temple and returned with the title of Rathpati. This fourth Kakatiya king initiated the Dushehra rath yatra which is celebrated to this day with the same enthusiasm. 

The longest Dushehra celebrated in India begins with Kachhangadi and Paat Jatra ceremony in front of the Danteshwari temple. The rituals include making offerings to a wooden log brought from the nearby Bilauri village for the preparation of an eight-wheeled, double-storied wooden chariot.

After the divine sanction granted by a young girl, symbolizing the goddess, the chief priest performs the Kalash Sthapana ceremony in the Maoli temple on the following day (Pratipada). On Maha-ashtami, Devi Maoli, a manifestation of Ma Danteshwari, is led to the temple at the Bastar palace. On the last day of Navratra, members of the royal family sit on the chariot and the head priest holds aloft the umbrella of Ma Danteshwari. The path of the chariot is lit by nearly 10,000 clay lamps.

The festival concludes with Kanchan Jatra (a thanksgiving ceremony) and a Muriya Darbar (tribal chieftains’ meet).

Other important rituals  at Bastar Dushehra

1. Jogi Bithai  (The Jogi's Penance) - A youth of the Halba tribe sits (buried shoulder deep in a pit) in penance for the success of the festival.

2. Rath Parikrama (Chariot Circuit) - The four wheeled flower chariot begins to circumambulate the Maoli Temple every evening up to the seventh day in the month of Ashwin.

3. Nisha Jatra (The Nocturnal Festival) - On Durgashtami, a procession of lights leads to the puja mandap in Itwari.

4. Jogi Uthai (Raising of the Jogi) - When the penance of the Jogi ends, he is ceremoniously raised from the pit he sat buried in, and honoured with consecrated gifts.

5. Maoli Parghav (Reception of Devi Maoli) - A warm welcome is given to Devi Maoli , an elder sister of Danteshwari Devi at the congregation of deities. A gala event accompanied by spectacular fireworks.

6. Bheeter Raini with Rath Parikrama ( The Inner Circuit) - On Vijayadashami, the eight wheeled chariot takes a circumambulatory course around the Maoli temple. After the completion of this inner circuit, it is parked for the night and as a ritual around 400 marias and murias steal the chariot away to Kumdakot ( a sal grove).

7. Baahar Raini with Rath Parikrama (The Outer Circuit) - The day after the chariot is stolen, the king visits Kumhda-kot to offer cooked rice of the new harvest to the Goddess. After having prasad from her, the chariot is pulled back ceremoniously through  the main road to the Lion Gate of the palace.

8. Ohadi (Farewell to the Deities) - After Kachan Jatra and Muria Darbar, the deities  who congregated at Jagdalpur from various parts of Bastar are ceremoniously bid farewell. This marks the culmination of the Bastar Dushehra.

See album on Bastar Dussehra And People of Bastar

To see all albums on Bastar

How is Dussehra celebrated across India