Keeping Faith

While for a large part of the country Dussehra gets its name from the victory of Ram over the 10-headed Ravana, and its 10-day-long celebration starts with various tales leading to the birth of the former and ends with the great battle, depicted on thousands of stages year after year with unabated public pull, in Bastar we have none of this. There is no Sita abduction, no Hanuman search mission and no Ram-Ravana battle. You do not see the spectacle of any effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarnaand Meghnath going up in flames as its finale. In fact, when this idea was mooted once, tribal leaders did not welcome it.

Bastar8217;s Dussehra occupies a special importance in the life of the region whose favourite deity is Danteshwari another incarnation of Durga hardly known in the north. The festival evokes genuine religious feelings among the simple people and is an essential part of their culture and philosophy. It is not mere entertainment.

The first distinguishing feature of this festival is the participation of the general public in the celebration which lasts virtually two-and-a-half months. It starts with men of the Saarva tribe felling big trees and moving them to the city on their shoulders or some contraption with wheels. In fact, men of different villages have well-designated duties of fetching wood meant for specified parts of the Rath. The government8217;s contribution is free wood. Then commences the Herculean task of making a huge chariot as large as a two-storeyed house. Very little ifany iron is used. When ready, it is an impressive though rough vehicle 8212; the result of about 50 workers8217; heavy toil for nearly three weeks 8212; no mean contribution from proverbially poor people. It is so heavy that it has to be pulled with long ropes by about 500 Madiya tribals of Kilpal 8212; a privilege they jealously guard.

The history of the Rath Yatra dates back to the early 15th century; legend has it that the fourth ruler of Bastar, Raja Purushottam Dev, who ascended the throne in 1408 AD, performed Dandavat prostration pilgrimage from Bastar to Jagannath Puri. Greatly pleased with his devotion, Lord Jagannath directed the king through the chief pujari to receive him. The Raja of Bastar offered lots of precious gifts with one lakh gold mohurs to the Lord in return for which he received the right to celebrate Dussehra on a 16-wheeled Rath. Of that he offered a four-wheeled Rath to the Lord himself and retained only a 12-wheeled one. Like in several states, the practice continued till the tragic deathof Pravinchandra Bhanjdev. Now only the chhatra and the chief pujari of Damteshwari temple of Jagdalpur ride it.

The Dussehra Rath Yatra is the cynosure of all eyes when the festival reaches its climax during the concluding 10 or 12 days. All the tribes bring their favourite deities with their chhatras to the maidan in front of the royal palace. The whole town is out jostling for vantage positions to watch the gigantic chariot being pulled by hundreds of devotees. The tribes of Bastar are no Vaishnavites vegetarians, they are Saivites whose Rath Yatra commences with a goat sacrifice 8212; as a matter of fact, no less than five goats are sacrificed by the time the festivals conclude. They are Shaktipriyas, no doubt, but their shakti8217; is of sattvik nature.

Bastar 8212; with the idol of Nandi and image of Shiva adorning the Danteshwari Temple at Dantewada and the deities assembled for Dussehra 8212; is more. It is also an eloquent testimony of the diversity our culture treasures.