Chhattisgarh – a state located in the heart of incredible India is inhabited by a sizeable tribal population. These tribal people have a very unique cultural heritage of their own. They celebrate all their festivals with a great deal of ardor and enthusiasm. The festival of Dussehra is celebrated throughout the country but there is a distinctive difference in the way it is celebrated here. It is marked with the same degree of fervor and enthusiasm but it is celebrated for totally different reasons. The return of Lord Rama from his exile to his homeland of Ayodhya is not related to Dussehra in Chhattisgarh in any way.
Dussehra in Chhattisgarh is celebrated in honor of Sri Danteshwari Mai. She is highly revered and respected by the tribals. According to local legend she safeguarded the Bastar king from the attackers and gave him protection in the forests. As a mark of their gratitude, the tribals still owe their allegiance to her.
The deities from far flung tribal villages are brought to the Temple of Goddesses Danteshwari in Jagdalpur on this day. Jagdalpur is the district capital of Bastar and stands witness to a lot of festivities on the occasion of Dussehra.
There are several other customs also that are associated with Dussehra in Chhattisgarh. The day begins with a worship ceremony at the Kacchhingudi temple. The presiding deity of the temple is placed in a “rath” and all the devotees lend a hand to the rope when the rath is pulled akin to the celebrations in Puri on the occasion of Rath Yatra. In fact the chariot is also made by the Saoras of Orissa.
It is also customary to choose a young girl from the weaver community and place her on a swing of thorns. The girl does not get injured in spite of that and this is supposed to be because of the grace of God. This is considered a very good sign and indicates the goddesses’ approval of the festivities.
The joy and mirth of these simple tribal people is indeed unlimited. They enjoy themselves thoroughly. It is a time when they get to meet each other and be a part of all the merry making. At Gole Bazaar, the shops are crowded and they display various handicrafts item. So do try and get a taste of the pomp and pageantry at the time of Dussehra.
The Dussehra festival is celebrated mostly in the month of October or November.