THE PEOPLE

FESTIVALS

Hindus

The religious holidays followed by the Hindus of the district are much the same as those followed by the people in other districts of the State. Almost every month occurs a sana (holiday), an utasva (festival), a jayanti (Birthday anniversary of god or goddess, a saint or a hero), or a jatra (fair). Besides, there are also days for individual observances such as a vrata (vow) or a upavas (fast).

The following are the festival days commonly observed by the Hindus of the district: —

Gudhi Pddava: The first day of Caitra is called gudhi padava. This is the New Year day according to Salivahan saka era and also marks the beginning of spring. People celebrated Ram's victory over Vali by hoisting gudhis. Since then each householder hoists a gudhi i.e. a bamboo pole capped with a small narrow-mouthed silver or brass pot and a new cloth and a garland hanging to it, as a flag in front of his house. This gudhi is worshipped. People used to eat leaves of the neem tree in the morning but this practice has now gone into disuse. A sumptuous meal is prepared for lunch. The day is considered as one of the most auspicious days of the year especially for building or entering new house, for admitting children to schools and for starting a new business.

Caitra Gauri: On any day getween the third day of Caitra to the third day of Vaisakha, women perform a ceremony called gauripuja to worship goddess Gauri. Women relatives, neighbours and acquaintances are invited in the evening for halad kunku ceremony. Every evening, women are seen to go from house to house in their best dresses to participate in halad-kunku ceremony. The idol of Gauri decked with flowers is placed on a raised platform and lighted lamps are placed in front of it. Women are treated with halad-kunku, a gram-pulse preparation, a syrup of raw mangoes or sugarcane juice and soaked gram. The birth anniversary of god Ram and that of Hanuman are celebrated on the bright ninth and bright fifteenth of Caitra.

Aksaya trtiya: Aksaya trtiya or akhiti as it is known by the agricultural community of the district is the third day of the first half of Vaisakha. It is counted as a half auspicious day of the sade-tin muhurtas reckoned by Hindus. This day is of special importance to the agriculturists and is celebrated with a feast and by wearing new clothes. Monsoon is then not far off and the fields are to be ploughed and prepared for sowing. The agriculturists make a beginning for these preliminaries on this auspicious day.

Nagapancami: Nagapancami is celebrated on the bright fifth of Sravana. In many Hindu houses, a clay image of nag or a nag made of flour is worshipped and a feast is enjoyed. In villages, activities like digging and ploughing and cutting and frying in houses are suspended because such activities are believed to hurt snakes. Snake charmers go about the streets carrying snakes in baskets and people make offerings of parched rice or jowar, milk and coins to these nagas and worship them. In villages nagapancami is celebrated with much vigour. Festive gatherings of sports and games are arranged. Swings are hung on tree branches where women gather and sing folk songs. At this time of the year married women visit their mother's house and are given presents.

Pithori amavasya or Pola: The no-moon day in Sravana is known as the Pithori Amavasya. It has special significance for mothers. On this day, mothers worship the 64 devatas and pray to grant long life to their children. Formerly, idols of these goddesses were made of flour and sweet balls of flour were prepared. This probably gives the name Pithori Amavasya (pith meaning flour).

Agriculturists observe this day as pola to show their gratitude towards the bullocks. The people of Bhir district being mainly agriculturists pola is commonly observed in the district. Bullocks render useful service to the agriculturists in almost all agricultural operations and thus occupy an important position in the rural economy as also in the life of an agriculturist. Pola or bendur as it is called in some places is a day dedicated to bullocks who are fed on sweet dishes and given full rest.

On the eve of the pola-day i.e. in the evening on the dark fourteenth of Sravan, as the bullocks return from the day's work, the farmer invites them for lunch for the next day. The next day i.e. the dark fifteenth, bullocks are washed and decorated. They are then taken in a procession, accompanied by music, to the ground which is marked for this purpose. A sacred rope called the toran made of twisted grass covered with mango leaves is hung up there and the bullocks led by their respective owners pass under the sacred rope. The bullocks are then worshipped and the patil breaks the sacred rope. Bullocks are then taken home ceremoniously, their feet washed and lamps are waved around their faces. They are then fed with sweet capatis (puranpolis) and then only the members of the household take sweets.

Ganes caturthi: On the bright fourth of Bhadrapada, Ganes the son of Parvati and Sankar is honoured as the God of Wisdom. He is considered as the dispeller of all obstructions. A festive clay image of God Ganes, artistically made and painted, is installed in the house with due religious ceremony. The image is kept in the house from one-and-a half day to ten and sometimes even twenty-one days according to the family custom and is worshipped twice during the day, in the morning and at night. Modaks i.e. cooked rice flour stuffed with coconut and gur are specially prepared for the God Ganes. The image is finally taken out in procession and immersed in a river or a lake.

The social aspect of this festival is of much importance. Members of a locality jointly install and worship the image of Ganes for five days or ten days as the case may be. Various programmes are arranged in honour of the God such as lectures by learned men, entertainment programmes, competitions, etc. This encourages co-operation among people and enlightens as well as entertains them. However, such celebrations are less prevalent in this district as compared to the districts of Western Maharastra.

Gauri: Conjoined with the Ganapati festival, women hold a feast for three days in honour of Parvati or Gauri, the mother of Ganes. It occurs within a couple of days after Ganes caturthi. The first day is gauri avahan i.e. the invitation to Gauri, second one is gauripujan i.e. the worship of the goddess and the last day is gaurivisarjan i.e. the immersion day. The image of Gauri is arranged and dressed in a sari and is adorned with ornaments and a head of clay (called mukhavata) properly dried and coloured. Among Brahmans pebbles (five or seven as is the custom) are brought from the water-side and worshipped. These are immersed on the prescribed day as the images.

Navaratra: The navaratra festival starts on the first day of Asvin and is held for nine days in honour of the Astabhuja devi who killed the demon Mahisasur after a struggle for nine days. On the first day, the ceremony of ghatasthapana or the invocation of the goddess to be present in the ghata is performed. A copper, a brass or an earthen jar (tambya) is filled with water and a betel-nut and a copper coin are put inside it. Its mouth is covered with mango-leaves, a coconut or a plate on which is placed a betel-leaf and a betel-nut. In some cases, loose earth is spread beneath the ghata and in it are sown grains of various kinds usually of the rabi crops. It is generally believed that if the seeds grow well, there will be a rich crop during the coming season. In some houses, a handful of rice is heaped on a wooden stool and on it is placed the ghata worshipped as the goddess Astabhuja. Each day, a garland of marigold flowers is hung over the ghata (without removing the former one). An oil lamp burns day and night beside the ghata for nine days. This worship is observed only in some of the families and collective worship is held at temples.

Dasara: The tenth day of Asvin i.e. dasara marks the end of the navaratra festival. It is also known as vijayadasami to commemorate the glorious victory of God Ram over demon Ravana. It being an auspicious day, any new work or business is undertaken on this day. Weapons, tools and religious books are worshipped and a sumptuous meal is enjoyed. In the evening, people go and greet each other and exchange the leaves of apta tree which are supposed to symbolise gold only on the dasara day. The sami tree or in its absence the leaves of the apta tree are worshipped.

The day is joyously celebrated in the schools. Children (especially of the primary classes) draw the image of the goddess Sarasvati (in the traditional manner) on their slates and worship it in the school.

Dipavali: Divali or dipavali, the festival of lights, is celebrated throughout the district by all the Hindu people, the rich and the poor alike. A number of days ahead, women are busy making preparations, cleaning the house, making various dishes such as ladu (sweet balls), karanjis, cakali, civada, etc. People buy new clothes and ornaments if they could afford.

The real festival starts on the 13th of the dark half of Asvin. This day is called as dhanatrayodasi (and as dhanteras among the Jains and the Gujaratis). On the fourteenth, i.e., the narak caturdasi day, when people light oil lamps so as to expel dirt and darkness, children fire crackers. It is a special bathing day for male members of the family. Perfumed oil and a paste of fragrant material (called utane) is besmeared to their bodies and they take a special bath called as abhyangasnan. After the bath, special dishes prepared for divali are taken (called pharal). The dark fifteenth day is of special significance to the trading community which mostly consists of the Gujaratis and the Jains. In the evening, they have vahi pujan (i.e. worship of the books of accounts) and laksmi pujan (i.e. the worship of Laksmi, the goddess of wealth). Shops are decorated and lighted and friends and customers are invited for reception (called pansupari). This community is busy in stock-taking as their new year begins on the next day, i.e., the first day of Kartik. Non-trading communities worship the Goddess Laksmi (in the form of ornaments and money) in their homes. The first day of Kartik is one of the three and a half auspicious days in the year reckoned by Hindus. This is also called as bali pratipada in honour of Bali who was a benefactor of agriculturists, but who is known to have been put down in the nether world by Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Visnu. Wives adore their husbands by waving a small lighted lamp around them and are offered suitable presents. This day is of special significance for the newly married women.

On Bhaubij, the second day of Kartik, sisters invite their brothers to their houses and prepare special dishes for them. Waving a lighted lamp, sisters adore their brothers and receive presents.

Holi or Simaga: The advent of holi or simaga is eagerly awaited by the young and the old alike. Holi is observed to celebrate the death of the demoness Holika at the hands of Lord Krsna. The festival of holi begins from the fifth of the bright half of Phalguna and lasts till rangapancami, i.e., the fifth day of the dark half of Phalgun. It is celebrated with much vigour in the country-side. Holi is generally celebrated collectively by the residents in the locality. Bonfires are lit from the tenth day of Phalgun but the full-moon day is the chief day when a big bonfire is arranged. A pit is dug and at the centre is planted a big branch of a tree either of mango, mad, pophali (betel-nut), castor seed or plantain. Around it is heaped fire-wood and other combustible material. The heap is then set on fire, which is known as Holi. The head of the family or the chief of the locality worships and gives offerings (i.e. puranpoli) to the Holi on the full-moon day. People bring coconuts and offer them to Holi. Some of the coconuts are removed after they are roasted and distributed as prasad. Male members of the locality gather around the holi and enjoy the whole night in sports or visiting holis of different localities. At the close of the game they daub their foreheads with sacred ashes gathered from the holi fire.

Next morning, people heat water over the fire and use it for the purpose of bathing, for it is believed that the water has some curative properties. The day is known as dhulvad or dust-throwing day on which dust and mud is thrown on passers-by. Now-a-days gulal (red powder) instead of dust is thrown. The dark fifth of Phagun is known as the rangpancami. This is the last day of the festival. The sacred fire of holi is extinguished by throwing coloured water on it. People sprinkle red powder or coloured water on those who pass by and no one is expected to take it as an offence.

In towns, the festival is restricted to the full-moon day proper or at the most a day or two before it and to the rangpancami, day and is not so commonly participated as is done in villages. In some cases, instead of indulging in unhealthy pranks, men arrange games and other entertainment programmes for the night.

Makar Sankranta: The day sun enters Makara (the zodiac sign of Capricorn) is celebrated as the makar sankrant. This marks the northing of the sun. This solar incident occurs on the 14th of January but on an uncertain tithi (lunar date) in the month of Pausa. It is marked with a feast in honour of God Sun. Men and women greet friends and relatives and exchange tilgul (sesame sweet) and halva (sesame coated with sugar) so as to foster good relationship. From this day onwards till ratha-saptami in Magh, women celebrate haladi kunku on some suitable day and along with tilgul distribute some useful article to suvasinis.

The day previous to sankrant is called bhogi. The special menu for the day is khicadi (rice and mung pulse fried and then boiled together with salt and condiments), jowar or bajra bread with til set to it and roasted brinial treated with salt, chillis and seasoned with sweet oil.

On makar sankrant day, sweet bread of wheat flour, stuffed with gur, crushed til and little amount of gram flour is made and eaten with ghee.

Vratas and Upavasas: Vratas i.e. certain religious observances are restricted to women. Most common among such are haritalika, rsi-pahcami, vata-savitri, Mangalagauri, sitala-saptami, mahalaksmi, vasubaras, siva-muth, sola-somvar, makar-sankrant, etc.

On the bright third of Bhadrapad, women worship the clay figures of Parvati, Sakhi (her friend) and sivling and fast the whole day with an intention to secure a worthy husband as Parvati secured in God Siva. Even girls of tender age observe fast. On rsi-pahcami day i.e. the bright fifth of Bhadrapad, women do not eat anything which is not hand-grown and worship the rsis. This is intended to make amends for sins committed without knowledge. Some of them, go to a river or a well and cleanse their teeth and take bath, then taking seven pebbles from the place, worship them as seven rsis.

Vata-savatri is observed by women to ward of any danger to their husbands' lives. This falls on the full-moon day of Jyestha when a banyan tree or its boughs are worshipped by women because the puranas mention that Savitri brought her dead husband to life under a banyan tree. It is also known as vata-paurnima as it falls on the full-moon day. Some women in observing this vrata live only on fruits, roots and milk for three days but usual practice is to observe the fast on the full-moon day only.

Mangalagauri: The worship of mangalagauri is performed by newly married girls for five successive years on every Tuesday of Sravana. This is intended to secure a long life for their husbands. The observance of Siva-muth is performed by newly-married women. It consists of offering a handful of corn to God Siv on every Monday of Sravana

Makar Sankrant: On the makar-sahkrant day, women worship a sugada (small earthen pot) containing til-gul, green gram, ground-nuts, pieces of sugarcane, carrot and jujuba fruits, etc. These pots are first washed and winding a thread round their neck, they are anointed with halad (turmeric powder) and kunku (red powder). Filling them with things as said above, women then present them to a Brahman and to five unwidowed women. Girls also exchange such sugadis.

Caturmasa: The period from the bright eleventh of Kartik is observed as the caturmasa when some people do not take onion and garlic in their food. During this period some women observe sola-somavaravrata at the end of which is held a grand worship of Siva and Parvati and at least seventeen dampatyas (couples) are given a feast.

Other sacred days are commonly observed by people (both male and female) as fasting days. Thus people observe fast on Sunday Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday depending upon the particular deities they honour.

There are also other sacred days commonly observed with a fast They are —

Ramanavami: Ramanavami is the birth-day anniversary of God Ram, the seventh incarnation of Visnu. It falls on the bright ninth of Caitra when people flock to the temple to celebrate the birth of Ram. At twelve noon, the temple priest announces the birth and the idol of Ram is cradled. Arati (waving of oil lamps) is performed accompanied by music and cymbals and prasad (i.e. sunthavada i.e. sugar mixed with the dust of dried ginger). Kirtans and bhajans are held in honour of Sri Ram. The devotees follow a partial fast till twelve noon i.e. the time of the birth of Ram.

Ekadasi: The eleventh day of the bright as well as dark half of every month is observed by some people as ekadasi i.e. a day for prayer and fast. However, all are rarely observed. Ekadasis, occurring in the bright halves of Asadha and Kartik are considered very sacred as they mark the beginning and the end of the caturmas (holy season). These are observed by a large number of people. Some of the devout followers known as varkaris visit the temple of Vithoba at Pandharpur on that day. Others visit the local temples. In addition to these two, the eleventh of the bright half of Caitra is also found to be commonly observed in district when a great fair is held at the Kholesvar temple at Ambejogai. Some people of the district are also found to observe the eleventh of the dark half of Margasirsa when a huge fair is held near the Mukundraj samadhi at Ambejogai.

A number of people, made as well as females, observe the fourth of the dark half of every month as sankasti caturthi. People observe fast during the day and take food only on seeing the rising moon in the sky.

Gokulastami: The dark eighth of Sravana is celebrated as the birthday of Sri Krsna. Some of the people observe fast on that day. The birth of Sri Krsna is celebrated in temples exactly at twelve in the midnight among a great gathering of the devouts. The idol of Sri Krsna is cradled to the tune of a lullaby. A kirtan is held depicting the life.story of the God and his greatness. Afterwards prasad is distributed.

Siv Ratra; On the dark 14th of Magh comes mahasivratra (Siva's great night) which is observed by devotees of Siva with a fast and a worship. All people observing the fast visit the temple of Siva on that day. Great fairs are held on the mahasivaratra day at Parali Vaijnath (which has the privilege to have one of the twelve jyotirlingas in the country), the Kankalesvar temple at Bad and also the Nagnath at Nagtala in Asti.