Bastar Dussehra festival: India's 75-day Dussehra that has nothing to do with Ravana

As the rest of India gears up to celebrate the burning of massive effigies of Ravana, Chhattisgarh, the home of India’s native tribes, readies itself for something much more spectacular. Bastar's Dusshera festival is not celebrated in remembrance of Lord Rama’s triumph and return to his kingdom of Ayodhya. Rather, it is a 75-day-long carnival celebrating Devi Ma Danteshwari, the goddess of the land.

History and sacred rituals of Bastar's Dusshera festival

The history of Bastar's Dusshera festival goes back to the 15th century AD, when King Purushottam Deo, who was the Kaktiya ruler, visited the Jagannath Puri temple. Returning from there as the Rath-pati after obtaining divine authority to drive the chariot, he made sure that all communities took part in this event, with the main role played by tribals.

The festival begins in the month of August with Pata Jatra, which is a religious ritual involving the worship and cutting of wood. The tribal artists build an enormous wooden carriage through ancient methods without using any nails. It is said that there was a time when the Madiya community could not take part in this activity.

They took away the chariot in protest but returned it after their demand to have a meal with the king was fulfilled. Today, this playful theft and reconciliation are symbolically re-enacted every year in Jagdalpur.

As the 75-day festival draws near to its finale, the air of Jagdalpur turns festive, becoming a carnival-like affair with light, music, and dance. About 600 village gods from different parts of the district are called to see the divine meeting of the two goddesses.

On this night, people from the villages move around and run with their gods on palanquins. It is believed that the people who participate in this event are possessed by their ancestors.

Spellbound villagers pass the barricades of the policemen carrying their heavy palanquins. No action is ever taken by the authorities, as they respect the divine spell and the old tradition. Finally, the spectacular Bastar's Dusshera festival comes to an end with the ritual of Ohadi, a farewell ceremony for the visiting deities.

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