Festivals of Bijapur

Deities of neighbouring villages are carried in palanquins to the host village; multi-day fair with tribal markets, folk dances, weapon displays, food stalls, spirit-possession rituals; one of the most distinctive Bastar traditions

Performance of the Bada Dhol Nacha with traditional Rela Pata songs accompanied by giant Bada Dhol drums; communal mahua-flower harvest at dawn; mahua-based feasts and brews shared among the village

Cross-state pilgrimage from Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh; idols of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, and Surya Dev worshipped together on a platform beneath a majestic banyan tree

Strict prohibition on tasting new rice before the offering; ceremonial first-eating ritual conducted by the village priest (Gaita/Pujari); accompanied by Bada Dhol Nacha and clan feasts

A rare cultural touchpoint between urban India and Bastar’s tribal heartland; villagers gather at his grave to pay homage, blending personal romance, community tradition, and respect for the untamed spirit of nature

Holika dahan combined with week-long Bada Dhol Nacha night performances; mahua-based community feasts; spectacular processions of village deities; one of the most vivid expressions of community joy

Bullocks are bathed, their horns painted in vivid colours, and worshipped; children play with clay bull figurines (mati ke bail); traditional Chhattisgarhi sweets like thethri and khurmi are prepared