Bhagoriya festival – Of blooming flowers and blossoming love
Often misunderstood as a rural Valentine’s Day, the tribal festival of ‘Bhagoriya’ was a few days back declared a cultural heritage by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The week-long carnival marks the onset of spring. Amid the amber hues splashed by the blossoming palash and the fragrance of yellow mahua flowers, the community rejoices the rabi crop harvest.
Jhabua, Alirajpur and Nimar are home to the Bhil tribe in Madhya Pradesh. During this time of year, hundreds of migrant workers return home to participate in this festival. Cooked food is first offered to the bull, followed by the nephew of the family. (Photo by Yuvraj Chouhan)
Bhagoriya derives its name from a village called Bhagor, situated in Jhabua district. The legend dates to the 13th century, when a tribal king called Bhagga Nayak Bhil used to host a grand gala after the crop was harvested. The occasion is now followed by festivals such as Faagutsav, Mahulya and Indal. Altogether, they mark a month of joy.(Photo by Yuvraj Chouhan)
A couple of decades ago, it was an occasion for couples to elope. Even today, young men meet women, choose their partner and run away. The way of proposing to a girl is by offering a paan. Another way of proposing is by applying gulal. If a woman applies gulal to a man in return, it means a match is made in Bhagoriya. Such situations are followed by a meeting between the families. Disputes, if any, among them are also settled by the village chief, as part of the practice called Jhagda-Todna. A certain amount is then decided to confirm the marriage. The tribe still practises the custom of taking bride price. (Photo by Rajat Baraskar)
While women dress up in vibrant lugda-ghagra and the customary silver jewellery, men are seen wearing the traditional lungi-pagdi as well as modern outfits like t-shirts and jeans. Men and women of a village move around in groups to enjoy the gala. (Photo by Rajat Baraskar)
All the members of the community enjoy taadi, the local liquor, and dance in a circle, soaking in the carefree ambience to the fullest. The rhythmic group dance, set to the tunes of the traditional beats of dhol (a percussion instrument) and thaali (metal plates) at various Bhagoriya haats (market fairs), sets the ground for an orchestration of harmony and love for nature. (Photo by Rajat Baraskar)
People gather from all over the country to witness this festival. Among the most bought products at the markets are tode (anklet), gele (elbow ornament), kandora (belly chain), bashtiye (thick wrist bracelets) and sankli (necklace).(Photo by Yuvraj Chouhan)
Urbanisation has impacted Bhagoriya too. And yet, the festival symbolises the traditional beliefs of collective celebrations and community harmony. (Photo by Yuvraj Chouhan)
The lead image shows two tribal girls at the Bhagoriya festival in rural Madhya Pradesh. (Photo by Yuvraj Chouhan)
Pranay Tripathi is an Indore-based upcoming filmmaker. He is a Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.