Chhattisgarh’s famous Mata Mawli Mela among others referred to in Modi’s Mann Ki Baat
Team News Riveting
New Delhi, July 31
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come out with an innovative idea to propel youths to visit the traditional fairs (mela) and announced to give prizes to those uploading best pictures.
“Our youth must join them and whenever you go to such fairs, share the pictures on social media too. You can also use a specific hashtag if you want. Through this other people will also know about those fairs. You can also upload photos on the website of the Ministry of Culture. In the next few days, the Culture Ministry is going to start a competition, where, those who send the best pictures of the fairs will also be rewarded. So do not delay, visit the fairs, share their pictures, and maybe you will get rewarded too,” Modi said in his address in the 91st episode of Mann Ki Baat on Sunday.
The Prime Minister said fairs have also been of great cultural importance in the country. Fairs connect people and hearts, he said, adding that when Kharif crops ripen after the rains in Himachal in September, in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Solan, Sari or Sair is also celebrated.
Jagra is also going to arrive in September itself. In Jagra fairs, Bisu songs are sung after invoking the deity of Mahasu. This awakening of Mahasu Devta takes place in Himachal at Shimla, Kinnaur and Sirmaur; simultaneously in Uttarakhand.
“Friends, there are many traditional fairs of tribal societies in different states in our country. Some of these fairs are associated with tribal culture, while some are organized in connection with tribal history and heritage. For example, if you get a chance, you must visit the four-day Samakka-Saralamma Jatara Fair in Medaram, Telangana,” he said. This fair is called Mahakumbh of Telangana. The Saralamma Jatara Mela is celebrated in honor of two tribal women heores – Samakka and Saralamma, Modi added.
It is a big center of faith for the Koya tribal community, not only in Telangana, but also in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The Maridamma fair in Andhra Pradesh is also a big fair connected with the beliefs of the tribal society. The Maridamma fair runs from Jyeshtha Amavasya to Ashadh Amavasya and the tribal society here associates it with Shakti upasana, worship. Here, in Peddhapuram, East Godavari, there is also a Maridamma temple. Similarly, the people of Garasiya tribe in Rajasthan organize ‘Siyawa ka Mela’ or ‘Mankhan Ro Mela’ on Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi.
The ‘Mawli Mela’ of Narayanpur of Bastar in Chhattisgarh is also very special, the Prime Minister said. Nearby, the Bhagoria Mela of Madhya Pradesh is also very famous. It is said that the Bhagoria fair started in the times of Raja Bhoj. Then the Bhil kings, Kasumara and Balun organized these events for the first time in their respective capitals. Ever since, these fairs are being celebrated with equal enthusiasm, Modi said.
Similarly, many fairs like Tarnetar and Madhopur are very famous in Gujarat. Fairs are, in themselves, a great source of energy for our society, our life. There must be many such fairs around you too. In modern times, these old links of the society are very important to strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat’.
