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Laru Kaj
Laru Kaj is the
festival of Gonds which is associated with the pig sacrifice. The ceremony is
considered the pig's wedding in honour of Narayan Dev. This sacrifice is
supposed to be done by every family once in nine or twelve years for prosperity,
health and happiness. All the relatives come and stay at the host's house for
several days. Invitation is sent to many persons in the village to join the
ceremony.
'Laru' means
bridegroom and 'Kaj' refers to a 'Solemn occasion'. It also means ceremony or
marriage. Nowadays, this sacrificial ritual is gradually disappearing.
Koqsar
Koqsar is one
of the important festivals of the Abujhmarias. It comes as the concluding
festival when people care little for privacy. Koqsar is characterised by
ceremonial exchange of visits of boys and girls. In most of the Abujhmar
country, this festival is associated with the end of long separation. Koqsar
marks the lifting of the taboo. In Koqsar the men dance in semi-circle and the
girls dance in a separate group. The dance proceeds through the whole night.
In the
Bhagoriah of the Bhils, marriages are settled in Koqsar and it is after the
festival that couples meet again and many boys are able to secure partners for
the life ahead.
Ras-Nawa
Ras-Nawa is a
special festival of the Baigas of Mandla district. Ras-Nawa means ceremonial
eating of honey. The festival falls once in every nine years. The Baigas
associate this festival to their legendary ancestor Nanga Baiga.
The shrubs
called Mohati and Anhera are the favourites of the bees as they get ample honey
out of their flowers. Once a drop of honey fell to the ground, Nanga Baiga
dipped his finger and tasted the substance. No sooner he did this, all the bees
transformed into tigers. Nanga Baiga ran for his life and when he reached his
abode he found it filled with bees. He was unable to move either inside the
house or outside. He promised to make offering every nine years.
It is believed
that preceding this festival many deaths occur and therefore among the Baigas a
taboo is observed not to eat honey before the festival. On the festival day the
Baigas go to the forest to get honey. On their return to the village a festal
booth is built for the Mohati and Anhera shrubs. They are now taken as wife and
husband. Near the festal booth millet is prepared by 'Shaman', the witch doctor,
in gourds and when it is ready honey is poured into the vessels. It is
distributed to all those who attend the ceremony. During the merriment boys take
their chances to smear the faces of the girls with honey.
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