12/11/2023
Bandana Festival
Of kudmi community ЁЯМ║ЁЯМ║ЁЯМ║ЁЯМ║ЁЯМ║ЁЯМ╝ЁЯМ╝ЁЯМ╝
Dr. Basanta Kumar Mohanta
Sudhansu Shekher Mahato
The longevity and number of ritual performed demands a thorough preparation. This begins with the collection of different kinds of clays/ mati, viz. Rugdi, Khetmati, Lal-mati (red soil), Dudhi-mati (white soil), etc. for leveling the cowshed and Angan (courtyard) as well as white washing all the houses. The outer walls are decorated with diluted Dudhi and Lal mati where as the marketing is completed in the weekly market prior to its arrival. The shopping items includes Tonki (bamboo basket), Khanchi (bamboo basket), Kharka, Dhupdani (conger), Diwa/ Deep (earthen lamp), Ghee, oil, sindoor (vermilion), Dhoti, Sharee, Earthen pot, Palam (one kind of earthen vessel), Earthen lid, Ranu, C***s and Hens etc. Thus one has to be economically, psychologically and culturally ready to welcome the Bandna festival and celebrate it with greater enthusiasm to thank the animals that are partner in their day-to-day agricultural activities.
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The first day of Bandna festival is well known throughout the Kudmidesh (Jharkhand and boardering areas of West Bengal and Orissa) as Jagran. The children look to be in merry mood with the arrival of the day of Jaqran.
In the morning, Bagals/Dhangals draws the cattle to the nearest pond/river or any other water points for washing. After giving a thorough bath to the animals, they are brought back to Gohal (cowshed). In the absence of Bagal, elder male members of the family perform the same. Sometimes, even the children also assist the elders. The cattle are provided with sufficient food specialty grass or paddy straw. The female members of the family besmear the courtyard with cow dung solution, before proceeding to the nearest pond or river for bathing and washing them in a new Tonki. After bathing, the women return to the house in their wet clothes. The Tonki with wet rice is put on the Chhain (roof) for draying. A few hours later they bring down the dried rice and grind with the help of Dhenki (husking lever).
In the evening they illuminate the rice powdered made Diwa on Sal patta (leaf of shorea robusta) along with a grass bundle on the both sides of the door of all the rooms including Gohal. The other places of importance to be illuminated include main entrance, storeroom, well, Khalihan/Khola (threshing ground), Manure pits, Tanks, Tuishi manch/ Chaurah etc. The extinguished lamps and grass bundles are collected and placed on Chhain. Though the process of lightening is done by the Bagals, irrespective of age and s*x the other members of the family equally participate. Later the collected Diwas are crushed into powder and the Pitha (cakes) prepared out of it are specially meant for the Bagals. The Bagals, smear oil and Sindoor on the horn and forehead of the catties. In the absence of the Bagals, elder members performed the same but for the cows and she buffalo the females are responsible.
The female further prepares Khapra Pitha (a type of rice cake) in a Palam covered with an earthen lid, which is enjoyed by each and every members of the family. Then the actual sprinkling of rice gudi/gundi solution on every agricultural implements along with Gohal, Khalihan, Tulshi monch, Manure pits, well etc. are taken place. The main objective behind shrinking solution is to awaken the implements and hence the name Jagran which means to awaken is justified.
In the night, after finishing the dinner Bagals/Dhangars along with other elder villagers gathers in one corner of the village or at the house of Mahto with musical instruments like Dhol, Nagra, Mandal/Madal, Jhun-Jhune etc. for Dhingwani Bhula. It is an important part of Bandna Parab in which the entire team sings and dances through out the night h front of each house with the motive of keeping the people awaken and at the same time preventing the entry of evil spirits.
The night of Amabashya is considered to be the most suitable time for the Dayen and evil spirits to play their black magic on the people as wel as animals. Therefore, the Dhingwani team moves from one end of the village to another while attending each house. During their movement from one house to another, they sing a song, which reads as:
(The time crosses while searching and enquiring, "How far is the house of cattle owner?" In his house, there is a Tulshi manch/chhauraha, where the Dasha bhai (ten brothers but here entire team) sing and dance. If you contribute to the team, there would not be reduction of wealth rather your name will be commemorated from era to era).
The arrival of the Dhingwani team is welcomed by the house owner and treated with Handia (rice beer) and Khapra pitha according to their capacities. They sing and dance while beating drums, Nagra and Mandal at the courtyard for which they are paid either in cash or kind or both. The kind includes paddy, rice, vegetables and khapra pitha etc. Sometimes the team members might sn**ch vegetables or fruits grown in the bari for which the owner makes no objection. While leaving the house they warn the house owner as well as cows to remain awake. The same is reflected through the song as:
Jago Ma Lachhmi,
Jago Ma Bhagawati,
Jagi Sutain Amabashya Raat,
Jago Ke Re Pratiphal,
Pow Ba Re Akhani,
Pancha Putra Dasha Dhenu G*i.
(Oh mother Laxmi, Oh mother Bhagawati; keep awakening, the night of Amabashya. The cost of awakening will give you five sons and ten Dhenu cows).
In this manner they move from door to door producing alarming sound. At the dawn, they Dhingwani team) gathers at the outskirt of the village under a tree or on an open place where they make a symbolic sacrifice of gourd and bum a straw made effigy. Finally, the collection is distributed among its members before they disperse.
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The second day of Bandna parab, popularly know, as Gohal Puja is the most important part. The female members of the house purify the floors. Tulshi manch and Aangan with cow dung solution in the morning. The Bagals and the male members of the family carry the Haai Juyant, Karha and Mair etc. to the nearest pond and water source to wash it properly with straw brush. The washed implements are brought back to house and are erected in a systematic manner facing the east. Then comes the turn of catties to be washed properly and bathed by the Bagals.
The headman of family goes to take bath with a hanshua. After taking bath he cuts a bundle of paddy straw in his paddy field and returns to home. On his way buck he makes no conversation with anybody. At home he keeps the paddy bundle on a Charpai and then begin to knit merwair (a kind of knitting with paddy straw). The knitted merwair are always of odd number in totality and kept on a new basket, specially brought for Chuman (benedictory Kissing). After smearing oil and sindoor on the cattle the mewair are hanged in their necks and forehead. Further, it is also tied to the Dharma (central pole) of each house. The mewair hanged in Dharna becomes of immense importance because of its requirements in the mental ceremony.
The palm/finger impressions of grinded area rice solution are put on either side of the doorframe and Sindoor Tika (vermilion dot) is given on it. The upper side of the doorframe is also smeared with the help of middle fingers. The small straight-line marks given are always of odd number.7
The lady of the house like the previous day goes to the ponds with arwa chawal in a tonki. It is washed properly and having taken the bath, return to the house. The wet chawal is out on chhain for drying. Then the arwa chawal is made into fine particle (Gudi) with the help of Dhenki. Chalen/ChaIni (Sieve) is used to filter to fine parts. The Gudi prepared is made into solution with water and a gum like liquid extracted either from Gamhar (Gmelina arborea) leaf or on heating the stem of ladies finger. This helps in maintaining the continuity of the chawk. (Alpana) made with the solution. The Chawk is designed and prepared by the lady who happens to be in fasting and begins from the entrance. The design may vary from one clan to another. At the entrance lie a few branches of Surgunja/Genda flower, Chitchiti or Apang, a chunk of cow dung and a stone. The cow dung symbolizes purification, the stone gives the representation of Lord Nirakar Siva, the Surgunja/Genda flower welcome the cattle whereas the Chitchiti or events the entry of evil forces. The Chawk prepared is generally criss crossed squares, connected with one another and a triangle attached to the side arms of the square. The apex of the tingle is further joined with three curved lines. The squares, triangles and the curved lines are drawn with the four fingers of the right hand dipped into solution. Vermilion dote out on each joints, gives an attractive look to it. (Figure1) But mythologically it symbolizes breeding. The Goth puja is performed out side the village, on the way through which the cattle are generally drawn in and out. The Mahato/ Majhi/Pahan performs this Goth puja by making a chicken sacrifice or breaking of an egg. He further sprinkles the Gudi solution on the cattle and they (cattle) are made to cross through it. On completion of the chawk pura all the cattle are made to pass over it.
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The third day of Bandna parab better known as Barad Bhidka or Goru Khunta itself indicates typing of catties and force them to pay. Like the previous two days the cattle are as usually washed by the Bagals or elder members of the family and served with sufficient diet. But they take special care to decorate them in addition to smearing of Oil and vermilions. The Gudi solution is used to give a stamp mark with the held of a glass or Chilum on the whole body of the cattle. Now a day, people even use different colours as a substitute to Gucli to give them more attractive look. The headman of the family brings paddy straw in the same manner like the previous day and prepare the marwair for the cattle as well as to be hanged in the Dharna. In addition, a typical kind of knitting called 'Barhin' (a special kind of knitting with the paddy straw) is prepared, especially for Kada. The people of present generation find it even more difficult to knit the 'Barhin' as it is comparatively complicated. One can easily notice from the movement of the cattle, that they are in marrying mood.
The Khunta (pole) erected at the center of the Kulhi or at some open place is decorated with palm impression of Gudi solution and Sindoor tika put over it. The head of the pole is tied with Surgunja flowers to give a colorful looking. The bottom of the Khunta is purified with cow dung solution. A few circles of Gudi solution are made around the Khunta.
The bulls drawn out from the Gohal are tied to the pole one after another. The female members of the concerned family make a formal chuman before the actual barad bhidka ceremony takes place. The arwa chawl is thrown over the cattle and Diya is shown to the bull tied to the pole. The villagers first sing the Ahira geet and different types of musical instrument such as Dhol, Nagra and Madal etc. are simultaneously played. A few people with dry animal skin; old Ghang (leaf made rain coat) and colorful clothes try to tease the bull that in return try to push them back with his head. This created a very interesting scene, which fulfills the heart of every member present over there. Further the Kulkuli (a cheerful sound) produced by the spectators add fuel to the encouragement and enthusiasm of the players. This action is repeated to a number of times till the bull gets tired and is replaced by another one.
Sometimes Handia and Pitha are distributed to people participating in the occasion. The song sang on this occasion are as follows:
"Kahe Re Borda Dhulu Na Mulu Ho,
Mudo Kan Dela Na Girai Re,
Eshano Kheilo, Barda Khelbe,
Saitho Juwano Ghuri Jai Re"
(Jain 1987: 73)
(Oh bull! why are you nervous? Why are you bowing? You play such a game that sixty adults will accept defeat).
"Kati Khane Re Barda Charale Bajhale?
Kati Khane Karale Sinan Re?
Kati Khane Re Barda, Bir Mati Makhale?
Ekhan To Khunta Mariyai Re.
Adha Rati Pahar Rati Charalo Bajhal,
Bhinsare Karalaen Sinan Re,
Boriya Uthoite Bhala Biro Mati Makhalon.
Ekhan To Khunta Manyai Re"
(Jain 1987: 74)
(Oh bull! when did you graze? When did you bath? When did you besmear mud to get ready for dance? Now you have occupied the pole. I grazed at mid-night, bathed at the dawn and smeared mud with the rise of the sun and now I have occupied the pole)
At the dusk, the Nimcha-Nimchi process is repeated in the same manner of the previous day. It was also observed that in some part of the studied area the Nimcha-Nimchi of the cattle is carried out on both the days of Gohal puja and Barad Bhidka, whereas in some places it takes place only on the day of Barad Bhidka. Similarly, in some part of the studied area the Chawk Pura is done at afternoon, just before to the Gohalpuja whereas in other part it is done at the evening to welcome their cattle.
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Reference
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Jain, Santosh Kumari; 1987 Kurmali Lokgeet: Ek Addhayan (in Hindi) Ranchi; Santosh Prakashan.
Mahato, P.P 2000 Sanskritization Vs Nirbakization. Calcutta; Sujan Publications
Megta B.K 1989 Kudmali Chari (in Kudmali), Ranchi, Mulki Kudmali, Bhaki Baishi.
Mital , Kanak 1986 Tribal Identity in Changing Industrial Environment. The Santal Case. New Delhi; Metropolitan Book Co.Pvt. Ltd.
Mohanty , B 1997 Festivals of Orissa. In P.K Mishra edited Comprehensie History and Cultural of Orissa. Vol. 2 New Delhi; Kaveri Books : 657-705.
Roy, S.C. 1912 The Munda and their Country, Calcutta; City Book Society.
Sankalia , H.D 1974 The Pre-history and Proto-history of India and Pakistan. Poona Deccan College.
Shukla C 1997 Bihar Ke Bedia (in Hindi). Ranchi , Bihar Tribal Welfare research Institute.
Singh, P.K 2000 Aapna Astistya Ki Lodhai Lodh Rahain Hain Jharkhand Ke Kurmi (in Hindi). Prabahat Khabar (Hindi daily publishing from Ranchi) Date 15-11-2000, Jharkhand Special Appendix 4, p.-6.
