Village Mela

In Chhattisgarh villages this is the occasion when all the villagers become so happy and excited. This Mela is celebrated by big Villages, where bazaar/market occurs every week. So, this Mela is conducted by villagers; which is more developed than interior one and connected with medium cities & big cities. This is the occasion when people meet with their relatives.

This Mela comes for 3-4 days, then it moves to the other villages. This is the major source for the villagers to purchase the necessary things specially for wedding. All kind of daily needs right from the toys, sweets, clothes to the utensils & Jewelery.

Mela becomes most attractive for their Jhulas (Round, Boat, Zigzag), Circus and Magician. In Jhulas whether person is child, young, adult or aged enjoys a lot, specially with the Zigzag Jhula, a person without opening mouth and realizing happiness can't live; that the situation when people forget every thing and be with full of joy.

Similarly, in circus there are masters in doing amazing; they do wonders. They can play on the sky, run bike on the wall, play with lions, elephants. They have such a flexible body, which lead them as an abnormal person.

Also, in the Mela there are Magicians who do wonders. Really amazing! they have the capability of cutting the body into pieces and re joint it, also they can convert a person into bird and then into snack and then into again men. These magicians get this kind of capability by doing very hard perseverance for Kali Mata.

This Mela is the main season for small merchants, they earn enough money to survive for 2-3 month within that the period of one month Mela in different villages.

Celebration of Holi in Chhattisgarh Villages

In India, Holi is celebrated on Falgun purnima (March) every year. One day before the Holi; villagers collect the things to be burnt. The things contain Chhatisgarhi Jada, a kind of small tree, which is dugg and fix into the surface as Karma Dar and surrounded by lots of dry branches of trees and the dry leaves of Rice and prepared as a hut. This preparation is done whole day before Holi till the evening.

At night Baiga comes and do Puja of Holika, at the mean time all gethered people sing Holi songs and dance around the arrangement of burning(hut), it goes for almost 2 -3hrs; untill Baiga finishes the Puja. After finishing Puja Baiga burns the hut, all the people who have come there, throw the rice and some kind of little dry grass. All people become so much of excited with burning of a huge hut with as a very big flame of fire.

It is also called "Holika Dahan"; Holika is a name, who was the sister of a cruel king Harinya Kashyap. Harinya Kashyap was neither in the favour of doing puja nor he allowed others to do so. He was so much overconfident and almighty that he was believing self as a god. He got a boon from Brahma that neither a man nor a animal can kill him. At the same home a son took birth called Prahlad; who was very good devotee of Lord Vishnu. Harinya Kashyap didn't like that and challenged to the Prahlad that if he has such a power, then save self from fire. Thus Prahlad sat on the laps of Holika, Holika burnt but Prahlad was safe. At the same time, Vishnu came as a combination of man and singh (animal) and killed Harinya Kashyap.

As the upper part of the hut is burnt or the dry grass and branches are burnt; Biaga cuts the Jada tree which was still burning with other things, by a kind of Axe (Tabel), within one shot. As Baiga cuts the Jada; people become so hurry to get a piece of Jada; they become competitive and try to grab it. It is believed that if we keep Jada piece at the cattle shed, the illness doesn't come to people of family as well as to the pet animals.

After this, people meet to each other, hug them and wish to all. They also use Gulal on face or give a chandan and wish. All the Chhattisgarhi villagers go back to the home happily.

My Mummy & Papa and some others' don't go to the burning place of Holi, but they see from the home (1 km away). From there, they see the flowing direction of smoke of burnt hut. It is fact that whatever direction smoke flows, raining occurs from that direction on the rainy season, and according to the flow density the amount of raining is also can be analyzed or expected.

At home Parents wait for their relatives or children, Mummy already be with the warm water, she cleans the legs of children or relatives by this water and throws it to the chhani or to the roof from where raining water falls. This water is thrown in the direction from where the direction is suppose to be raining.

From very morning, children start playing Holi.

Youth, adults, boys & girls also meet and wish with Gulal and Rangs. The sound like"Holi hai bhai bura na mano and Holi Hey!" are most common for whole day. People go specially to the home, where people don't like to play Holi or they have objections with the Rangs.

This is the day when all the enemies also get together, hug and wish and become friends. Youth arrange some musical instruments like dholak, tasa, cashiyo, jhumka and go to each home and start singing & dancing.

Thus they enjoy that family and from there they get some rice or money to celebrate further. This goes almost till 3 to 4 p.m. They try to finish all the homes of village. Later on they go to bath on the river, there also they do some enjoyment and play some games.
So, in Chhattisgarh villages, on the occasion of Holi, all the villagers becomes so happy and do enjoyment as much as possible, not only boys & girls but parrents also come ahead and enjoy.

Chhattisgarh New Year Celebration

In Chhattisgarh, New Year is considered as a very auspicious day by villagers. New Year is the day when every one looks happy & joyful. As per the age group and friendliness people form their groups separately and go to the river bank or in the forest to celebrate new year as a Picnic. They go to the picnic by carrying necessary things like rice, paddy, vegetable, chicken, alcohol, wood, pots (utensils) etc. They also carry some musical system (CD Player & Sound Box or Loud Speaker)to have dance & enjoyment.

For the celebration, preparation starts from the 31st of December, people meet and plan to have good enjoyment on new year day. They contribute for having good foods specially for chicken, puri, sweets and alcohol.

The group might be of gents only or youth & children only or ladies & girls only or the combination of all these above. According to the expertize & interest, the work is divided for preparing food. Almost all are busy with doing some stuffs. Children play at their own, gents cut and prepare chicken, ladies prepare food & vegetables. All these foods are prepared by the water of river or water of lake (whoever goes to the forest for picnic).

On this precious occasion the variety of foods are prepared. The Villagers believe that as they will have best food in the new year day, just like that food they will get for whole year; off course enjoyment also.

People start to go for picnic at morning 8 to 9 a.m. Food is prepared till 1 to 2 p.m. After wards they take bath in the river itself and start having food. They also share some vegetables & sweets to the near by groups of picnic.

After having lunch they go to play some games till sunset. Some start dancing. Some go to see other group's preparation of food. Remaining food is had by children after playing and prepare for coming home.

Chhattisgarh Karma Puja

Chhattisgarh is known for its culture and heritage. Here we are going to talk about Karma Puja. In Chhattisgarh Karma Puja is done by the villagers, at the month of July. Women keep vrat-upwas and go to the forest at the evening time and bring a tree called "Karma dar"and some leaves & Datoun. The public meeting place is dugg and tree is placed into it. At the evening all villagers come together and start puja; which is done by one of the Pujari, who does puja & tell story related to importance of Karma, every year.

There are four types of Karma Puja-

1. Jyontya Dar:- This vrat is kept by women for their husband's longer life.

2. Akadesi Dar:- It is celebrated by girls for welfare & long life of their brothers.

3. Karma Dar for Deshera:- Celebrated by all the villagers.

4. Karma Dar for Diwali:- Similar to Deshera Karma, but in this occasion the story is about Ramayana.

Chhattisgarh Culture

There is celebrated various kinds of festivals, wholeover the year. Right from the beginning of new year to the end of the 31 st of December almost every month. Just after the new year, people celebrate Chherta Puni( purnima of Pus hindi month(January)), Holi in Falgun Purnima(March), Chait Ram Navami in Chait(April), Gaon Pujan in Jeth(June), Indra Puja in Asadh (July), Various kind of Karma Vrat & Puja, Raksha Bandhan in Sravan Purnima(August), Ganesh chaturthi, Krishna Janmastami & Deshara in Bhadon (September), Nawa Khai & Diwali in Kuwar(October) and Kartik Purnima in Kartik(November) and Christmas in December.