Following the 600 years old tradition, the 75-day Dussehra festival started in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. According to the belief on this unique festival, Goddess ‘Kachhin’ allows the ‘royal family’ of Bastar to start the celebrations. Every year a girl is considered the ‘Kachchin’ goddess, and she allows the ‘royal family’ to celebrate ‘Dussehra’ by swinging on a swing of thorns. The tribal society has been organizing this festival for the last 600 years.
The Dussehra festival in Bastar generally lasts for 75 days, making it the longest Dussehra festival in the country. Specific rituals are celebrated here every day, and unlike other areas where effigies of ‘Ravana’ are burnt, here the festival pays homage to ‘Mahishasura Mardini Adishakti’. The tribal community of the district plays an important role in the Dussehra festival here.
Kamal Chandra Bhanjdev of the royal family said, “This ritual has been being performed for more than 600 years. After the goddess gives us permission to celebrate the festival, the festivities begin. The ritual of ‘Kalash Sthapana’ and ‘Rath Yatra’ will be performed today. It is believed that two daughters of our king, namely Kachin Devi and Raila Devi, had committed ‘Jauhar’ (an act of setting oneself on fire instead of surrendering to the enemies). Since then the sacred thread of the daughters “Souls roam around here and come to the girls and bless us. With their permission, we will start the programme.”
Dussehra festival is celebrated with great pomp across the country but this festival lasting 75 days in Bastar makes it unique in the world. Generally the festival of Dussehra is celebrated on the last day of Navratri.