Dasaraavo Festival (Maavalir Puja)

Dasaraavo Pandal

Dasaraavo festival is usually celebrated by Lambadas in Telangana after Dussera every year that is why it is called Dasaraavo.  Principle deities of this festival are Tulja Bhavani and Hingla both female deities their husband’s  details is not known, unlike Hindu goddesses who are always at the service of their husbands, for instance Laxmi wife of Vishnu is always sitting at the foot of Vishnu and pressing his legs. The Hindu goddess represents a very strong patriarchal structures and ideology. In the case of Lambada (Banjara) deities Tulja and Hingla they are independent represents the symbol of liberated women, valor and dignity.  Thus, Banjara society by worshipping non-patriarchal godesses represents a non-patriarchal or matriarchal structure which symbolizes an equal place for women in traditional Banjara society. It is the recent phenomenon that Banjaras are adopting brahmanical Hindu traditions and becoming more and more hinduised thus, patriarchal also i.e. authority of male in the family and society also. This change one could observe in the replacement of the practice of bride-price in the traditional Banjara marriages, with dowry, which has emerged as a problem number one in the community.

In these particular photographs which was taken by me on 9th November 2010, in Yenugonda Tanda of Mahabubnagar town sub-urban in the house of Khatravath Anjalidevi Nayak . This, particular festival resembles with the primitive religious practice of animism and naturism, in which it believes in existence of super natural powers represented in the personified form of Tulja and Hingla. This is celebrated any Tuesdays after Dusserah in October/November. It could be celebrated by the whole tanda or individual households at times. On the day of celebrations, a pandal is prepared in front of the house with small silver symbols of Tulja and Hingla. Then, sacrifice of two goats takes place. Then night dinner is prepared with motton and rice. Elders, consumes liquor. In the entire night elders beat plates with hands rhythmically and sing songs in the praise if deities. Plate beating and singing takes alternatively the whole night. Gradually, this celebration also vanishing very fastly from Banjaras on two accounts in the area. One, since it involves sacrificing animals i.e. killing animals. Many educated Banjaras opting out from celebrating it. Second, it is a representation of primitive religious culture. Many Banjaras in many places are opting for more organized religions like Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. It shows that Banjaras across the country are moving towards an ‘anomic’ situation i.e. a directionlessness in the cultural realm.

Pictures

Elderly Lambada Tribe Women sitting near the Pandal.

Gormati singing the lambadi songs at pendal.

Vadtiya Venkatesh Nayak
Hyderabad