Danteshwari Temple, Dantewada
– Festivals
The Bastar Dusshera, like
the celebrations in Mysore, is unique, as it is about an amazing blend of
religious and royal traditions. Dusshera used to be the only time
when the erstwhile kings interacted with the masses and shared with them the
first meal of a new harvest that marked the culmination of the two-month long
festivities. And, the tradition still continues. Tribal people from across the
region converge at the district headquarters, Jagdalpur. They then participate
in the 10-day long fun-filled ceremonies and have a glimpse of their
"king", who now leads the main function on Vijayadashami.
Strange as it might sound, here,
Ravana is held in reverence. For Dandakaranya (the vast forests of the region
and beyond) was the domain of Ravana, ruled by his sister,
Surpanakha. Dusshera here revolves round the "chariot"
brought from Puri, which is taken around the city for a week and then moved out
once, before the celebrations draw to a close. There also a is tradition of
lighting Jyoti Kalashas during Navaratris
here.
History has it that in 1408, the
then king of Chakrakote (as the region was earlier known), Purshottam Deo, was
a devotee of Jagannath and walked up to Puri from his capital, Bade Dongar
(near Narayanpur), to seek his blessings. Jagannath is said to have directed
the priest — in a dream — to confer upon the king the title of Rath
Pati and present him with a 16-wheeled chariot. The chariot is, since
then, a hallmark of the festival.
Earlier, the king was seated on
the tastefully decorated chariot on Vijayadashami day but now, it is
Goddess Danteshwari idol that emerges from the ancient Danteshwari temple at
Dantewada and then taken around the city. But the erstwhile rulers feel that
things have changed over the years. Dusshera has been converted into a
Government festival ever since the State Government took over the
responsibility of organizing the function.
Whether a tribal person is
settled in a city or occupies a coveted post, he is attached to his tribal
customs and follows them religiously, says Bhanjdeo. Saoras and Dhakada tribes
from Bade Umargaon and Jhar Umargaon villages are hired to build the chariot
every year. A group of 40 to 50 men can complete a chariot within a week (the
high point is that metal is not used. In the past, bison and goats were
sacrificed five times during the festival. A piece of wood has replaced the
practice of animal sacrifice.
The celebrations begin with the
members of the royal family "seeking permission" from Kacchhin Devi —
the deity of the Mirgan community — when a girl of this community is said to be
"possessed" by the goddess. She is then seated on a swing of thorns,
which is the deity's couch. There is an interesting story behind this ritual.
In 1725, when Bastar village was made the capital of the region, Jagtu, the
headman of a village nearby, sought the king's help in killing a man-eater.
The brave king earned the
loyalty of the community, in lieu of which the king honored them. This he did
by seeking the blessings of Kacchhin Devi, before
the Dusshera festival commenced. The movement of the chariot ceremony
begins on the second day of Navratri when an old four-wheeled chariot
is drawn once through the town, a ritual that lasts all seven days. It is
decorated with flowers and is also known as the phool rath, or the
chariot of flowers.
In the past, the king used to
sit on this chariot, but now it carries the umbrella of the Danteshwari. After
a day's break, Maoli Devi, or the manifestation of Danteshwari, arrives from
Dantewada and is received at the main entrance of the palace and then seated on
the eight-wheeled chariot. By now all the tribal people converge at Jagdalpur
with their deities. On Vijayadashami, the new chariot is taken around the
town. This time round it is drawn by the members of the Muria tribe, who are
traditionally-dressed.
When night falls, the tribals
pull the chariot out from the town, or rather steal it, only to station it two
kilometers away at Kumbhdakote, where the king offers freshly cooked rice from
the new harvest to the goddess. The next morning, the chariot is pulled back
into the city ceremoniously. The tradition of stealing the chariot was the
Muria's way of drawing the king's attention towards the problems they faced.
In the past, when the chariot
returned to the town, the king used to chair a formal meeting of the heads of
the tribes but now, it is the Collector who heads the Muriadurbar. After
thanksgiving to Kacchhin Devi on the 12th day, the Goddess Maoli is
accorded a warm send-off, like all the other deities, from Jagdalpur, drawing
to an end the extraordinary event.
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