Kumar Bahukhandi
The picturesque is an aesthetic concept that emphasises the visual appeal of man made decoration and a blend of Chhattisgarhi Tradition-Photo Credit -CG/PR
IN Short
*A beautiful glimpse of Bastar and plain Chhattisgarh in the decoration centered on Sargujiha art
*Hareli program decorated with Sawan swing, Geddi dance and exhibition of agricultural equipment
*The program pavilion made attractive with colorful small Geddis, neem and mango leaves fringe
* Hareli festival filled with the fragrance of Chhattisgarhi cuisine
*Traditional thali decorated with the flavours of Chhattisgarhi cuisine
*Chhattisgarhi cuisine came alive in Thethri, Khurmi, Pidia, Anarsa, Khaja, Curry Laddu, Muthia, Dumpling Bhajiya, Cheela-Fara, Bara and Chausela
Raipur: In the tradition of Chhattisgarh, “Hareli” is a festival to pay homage to the connection between man and nature. When Hareli arrives, the fields and barns, villages and cities of Chhattisgarh, plows and oxen, children-youth-women all get filled with the joy of this festival. The gates of the Chief Minister’s residence of Chhattisgarh have also been decorated to welcome the Hareli festival, with which the festivals start in Chhattisgarh. The entire Chief Minister’s residence has been painted in the colors of the beautiful tradition of Hareli festival celebrated on Shravan Amavasya.
There are three major parts of the decoration of the Chief Minister’s residence on Hareli. Entrance gate, middle arch gate and main pavilion. The entrance gate has a glimpse of metal art of Bastar. To welcome the people at this gate, there is a replica of Lord Ganesha in the middle of Chhattisgarh’s traditional instrument trumpet and a horse made of metal art has also been carved.
After the entrance gate, there is a Toran gate in the middle which is decorated with traditional Tokni. Along with this, colorful small flags are adding beauty in the form of Toran. In this part, a fringe of neem and mango leaves has been put as a symbol of Hareli tradition. The main attraction of the entire decoration is those small colorful Gadiyas, whose beautiful form is visible everywhere from here to the main pavilion.
The main pavilion gate has been made attractive with the colors of Sarguja art. The roof of this gate has been covered with para and beautiful paintings of Sargujiha wall art have been made. The wheel of a bullock cart decorated with many colors is also adding to the beauty of this gate.
A traditional house of Chhattisgarh’s rural environment has been built in the left part of the main event pavilion. The courtyard of this house is decorated with paintings of the plains of Chhattisgarh. There is a Tulsi Chaura and Gaushala in the courtyard of the house, where cow dung cakes are kept along with traditional agricultural equipment like plough, hoe, Rapa, Gaiti, Tangia, Sabbal. The walls of this rural house are decorated with beautiful paintings of Rajwar painting of Surguja.
The exhibition of agricultural equipment is the main attraction in the program pavilion. The special thing is that traditional and modern agricultural equipment have been displayed together in this exhibition. Equipment like Paddy Seeder, Juda, Biasi Plough, Tendua Plough and Tractor are displayed.
On one hand, there is a share of refreshments of traditional Chhattisgarhi dishes in the pavilion, while on the other hand, Sawan ka Jhula also reflects the joy of the shower-filled season of Sawan. The traditional Rahchuli swing of Chhattisgarh is also the center of attraction.
Traditional dances spreading the charm of culture:
On the occasion of Hareli, the charm of traditional folk dances like Gidi dance and Raut Nacha is also spreading with captivating tunes in the Chief Minister’s residence. A team has been invited from Bilaspur for Gidi dance. The Gidi dance team is wearing Parsan clothes with a crown of peacock feathers on the head, a garland made of cowrie shells and porcelain clay and a jacket studded with cowrie shells. This team presented its performances in the melodious tune of Mandar, cymbals, jhumkas, khanjari, harmonium and flute.
It is worth mentioning that Gidi dance starts from the day of Hareli.
On the occasion of Hareli, a team of 50 people has reached the Chief Minister’s residence from Gadbeda (Pithora) for Raut Nacha. While the men in this group have worn dhoti-kurta with a plumed turban on the head, cowrie shell studded armlets and belts with ghungroos on the feet, the women have also arrived in traditional attire. Members of both these groups said that they eagerly wait to reach the Chief Minister’s residence on this occasion.
The traditional delicious Chhattisgarhi dishes won the hearts of all the guests at the residence of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Bringing alive the incomparable culinary tradition of the state, dozens of traditional dishes like Thethri, Khurmi, Pidia, Anarsa, Khaja, Curry Laddu, Muthiya, Dumpling Bhajiya, Cheela-Fara, Bara and Chausela were specially arranged to welcome the visitors here.
Whenever a festival comes on the land of Chhattisgarh, it is not just a religious or cultural festival, but it becomes a festival of lifestyle, tradition, taste and social harmony. In the same series, on the occasion of the state’s major agricultural festival Hareli Tihar, traditional delicious Chhattisgarhi dishes won the hearts of all the guests at the residence of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Bringing alive the incomparable culinary tradition of the state, dozens of traditional dishes like Thethri, Khurmi, Pidia, Anarsa, Khaja, Curry Laddu, Muthiya, Dumpling Bhajiya, Cheela-Fara, Bara and Chausela were specially arranged to welcome the visitors here.
These dishes served in bamboo soup, pitari and dona-pattal highlighted the soul of folk life not only in taste but also in presentation. The guests, while tasting hot dishes, praised the traditional cooking of the state wholeheartedly. Chief Minister Shri Sai himself tasted these dishes and said that Hareli Tihar is not just a festival of farming, but it is an expression of our folk culture, our tradition and intimacy. These traditional dishes hide the hard work of our mothers and sisters, the rich tradition of simplicity and taste, which is our real identity. This event not only shows the importance of Hareli festival, but also proves that the soul of Chhattisgarh is embedded in its soil, its taste and its traditions.
On this occasion, every corner of the campus was drenched in the sweet fragrance of Chhattisgarhi culture. Somewhere folk dances were seen on the beats of drums and manjiras, somewhere the aroma of dishes kept attracting people. Rural artists dressed in traditional costumes and cultural presentation made the entire atmosphere lively and intimate. Senior officials, public representatives, artists and common people who attended the program described this event as a memorable cultural experience.
