Chhattisgarh: 600-year-old Bastar Dussehra commences

Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], July 20 (ANI): The 600-year-old ‘Bastar Dusshera’ commenced on ‘Hariyali Amavashya’ with the performance of the Patjatra rituals at the Danteswari temple of Jagadalpur in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district. 
Bastar Dussehra, which is considered as world's longest festival, commences after performing ‘Patjatra’ rituals, according to which worship is offered to a log of saal tree, informed Balram Majhi, a member of Bastar Dussehra Samiti.
The festival is celebrated for around 75 days.
There is no tradition related to the killing of Ravana but it is celebrated in the tribal-dominated district as a festival of worshipping goddess Shakti, informed another member of the committee, Premlal Majhi.

The festival in Bastar’s division headquarters Jagdalpur is marked by the participation of tribal as well as other people in huge numbers.
The committee members further informed that as per the tradition, the log, which is being worshipped, will be used to make a massive chariot. On this wooden chariot, the canopy of goddess ‘Danteshwari’ (the deity of Bastar) will be taken around the city.
This tradition is over 600 years old and it was started by the royal family here.

During the time of the pandemic, the festival was not celebrated in a grand manner but last year, a massive turnout was witnessed during the celebration of Bastar Dussehra, said Balram, elaborating that this year’s festival is going to witness a massive turnout of devotees. (ANI)