Marbat Festival: Know About The Procession Of Kali, Peeli And Badgya Marbats In Nagpur

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Marbat (statue) festival, India's only tradition with a historical touch, is going to be celebrated in Nagpur on Saturday, August 27, 2022 for the first time post the COVID-19 scare.

As per the Shalivahan Shaka Panchag, the festival of Marbat is celebrated in Nagpur, Maharashtra on the second day of Shravan Amavasya. On the second day of the Pola festival, the spirit of Kali (black) and Peeli (yellow) Marbats come alive, amidst the frenzied shouting of feverish slogans. The effigies of Kali and Peeli Marbat and Badgya are led out in procession and finally burnt. Not celebrated for the past two years due to the Coronavirus situation, in 2022, the Marbat festival is going to be celebrated with all pomp and enthusiasm in the city of Nagpur.

Marbat Festival: Peeli And Kali Marbat Tradition

Anil Wasnik, a senior journalist with 40 years of vast research experience on Vidarbha, opines that it is the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka where the bulls get their due honour and respect as farmers' friends during the Pola festival. The entire concept of creation is humanised, and this includes all the rivers, mountains and birds present in the earthly ecosystem. Pola festival acknowledges the helpful presence of bulls in our lives and celebrates the spirit of gratitude that we owe to them.

As per Wasnik, on the second day of this two-day festival in Nagpur, black Marbat and yellow Marbats are drawn out in chariots in two processions separately which merge in the middle of the way to decide the way forward. This Milan (coming together) of the Kali and Peeli Marbat is of utmost significance on Pola.

On this occasion, shouting of slogans including "Ida, pain, khasi khokla rog gheoon ja gaye marbat!" (Take away all our pains and illnesses, oh Marbat) add their own charm to the event. It may also be a way of venting out their pent-up aggression and fury against the evils in the system and the burning issues in society.

Marbat and Badgya, basically considered symbolic of evil are taken out on procession during the event of Tanha Pola. Yellow and black coloured Marbats are created, of which, the yellow Marbat is taken out by Teli samaj Mandal in Tarhane of Jagnath Budhwari. Shende and family, and the entire lineage of Sadashiv Vastad Tadikar chiefly have been making these idols for many decades.

Yellow Marbat, meant for the eradication of infectious diseases, was started as a tradition in 1885 when the city was infested with epidemics and other diseases. This was intended to be an answer to the epidemic challenges. As per local belief, making a Marbat would free them of those ills. Kali Marbat also began around the year 1881.

The legend goes that after the royal queen Bakabai of the Bhosle Royal Family revolted against the family and joined the British forces after which the Bhosle family seems to have fallen on hard times. As a mark of protest against this, the effigy of kali Marbat created in the manner of Pootana, the sister of Kamsa, was burnt outside the village hoping that the evils and malevolent forces would vanish on their own. Marbat is taken out and burnt when the procession ends.

Similarly in Juni Mangalwari, every year, a yellow Marbat, or Tarun Peeli Marbat, which is supposedly the daughter of the Yellow Marbat of Jagnath Budhwari, is made by the Sri Saibaba Seva Mandal Public Peeli Marbat Utsav Samiti. This Peeli Marbat was first created by a person named Kashiram Mohankar. His entire lineage is continuing in the same profession up till now.

Marbat Festival: The Badgya tradition

Badgya tradition is of a recent origin and probably started just a few decades ago. Badgya tradition was started by children who made it using paper, tree twigs, household waste, etc. Taking a cue from this, adults too found an outlet for their rage by taking out the Bagdya procession to finally burn it in the outskirts of the village. Many such Mandals still actively engaged in creating Badgyas every year, adding their own thoughtful contribution to the eradication of evil and boosting the morale of people struck by epidemics.

Image Sources: http://nagpuronline.in/

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