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Fairs & Festivals in Bihar
Ancient Vediv Religion
Festivities of Bihar are steeped in history that has no means to fathom.
Moreover, history is not always written by historians but by people who wakeup
legends. And legends to the skeptics are in fact revelations to the faithful.
At one time Bihar was beyond the pale of Aryan culture and remained free fro the
influences of Vedic religion. During this period, the people of ancient Bihar
worshipped the forces of nature, like serpents, stones, trees, Chaityas
(funerary mounds) Yakshas (semi divine beings), etc. Gradually these objects
were incorporated into the Aryan pantheon and in exchange Brahmana leadership
and Vedic sacrifices were accepted by the people of this region.
The Festivities in Bihar
The amalgamation of Vedic and non-Aryan religion was not an easy affair. It is not surprising to find the Rig Vedic word for festival, Samana, which has been rendered both as ‘battle’ and ‘ ‘festival’. We hear of Bhima and Arjuna as destroying the great Chaitya on the hills of Rajgir in order to demonstrate their hostility towards Magadha. Likewise, the Asurs of Gaya were uprooted by Vishnu. The famous Sonepur Cattle fair (deeed to be the largest in the world) recreates the Gagendra moksha legend, associated with Hariharanatha temple in Sonepur, which was once strongly opposed to Vishnu. The Cattle fair, beginning with the full moon day of Kartik Purnima (November) commemorates the ancient concord accomplished at Sonepur, between the opposing sects of Vishnav and Shiva worshippers.
RAJGIR DANCE FESTIVAL
This popular and colorful dance
is organized by the Department of Tourism Bihar every year at Rajgir The
celebration are marked by many classical and folk dances, performed by the
enthusiastic people. This festival attracts tourists in large numbers.
SONEPUR CATTLE FAIR
Legend apart, the famous Sonepur
fair in more of a cattle trading centre where incredible number of birds and
cattle are brought from different parts of the country. Besides, the bewildering
array of wares are on sale and add to this the numerous folk shows about which
the BBC once remarked, "there’s nothing like the Sonepur Cabaret." The time to
start is very early in the morning when the fog is suddenly pierced by the sun
and the huge gathering has just emerged from the holy dip in the cold absolving
waters. The mela that lasts upto a fortnight, provides enough time to talk to
the parrots, watch the elephants being bathed leisurely, followed by ear
splitting trumpets and then the artists working up with colourful designs to
decorate the elephants as if the pachyderm has been tatooed all over, see the
horses being tested for their speed and stamina, big bulky buffaloes being
milked and likewise all other animals demonstrating their skill, strength and
productivity.
By midday, it is the cacophony of strong decibels pouring in from all corners as
the huge gathering becomes denser with more and more people adding to the sound
and sight of the landscae. Ash smeared, saffron clothed holy men blow their
conches and bang their gongs. Loudsspeakers, from various folk shows and
jugglers rent the air together with the unison from the animals. Much before the
sun sets in, flames and fumes of dung fire burning at different places appear to
screen the sky in a very amusing way, as if some mediveval army has just camped
for the night. and it is time to share a gossip with one of the villagers who
may better summarise the stock and sale of the cattles for the day. Zesty snacks
together with tea comes in from the open air restaurant. .
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NAG PANCHMI
The
rainy month of Sravana when there is danger of death from snake bite, people
appease the snake god by offering milk during Nag Panchmi. The prime centre of
naga worship is Rajgir and Mahabharata describes this place as the abode of
serpents and excavations have revealed numerous objects used in serpent cult. In
fact naga worship is wide spread through out India.
MAKAR SANKRANTI
This festival is held in the middle of January, which according to the lunar calendar, is the last month of ‘Paus’. This festival is specific to Rajgir since its hot springs are the venue for the religious rituals. Devotees come here in large numbers to make flower offerings to the deities of the temples there, and bathe in the holy water.
GAYA – BUDDIST PILGRIMAGE CENTER
Gaya is another holy dot in
Bihar, famous for the International Buddhist Gathering and the rallying point is
the Mahabodhi tree and the adjacent temple. The occasions are Buddha Jayanti
(Buddha was born on this day, he attained enlightenment on this day and also
attained Nirvana on this day ) and in the month of Vaisakh (April/May) and the
annual session of Dalai Lama in December. Mahavir Jayanti is celebated in April
with much fanfare on the Parsvanath hill and also at Vaishali while Deo
Deepawali, marking the attainment of Nirvana by Mahavira is celebrated best at
Pawapuri, ten days after Deepawali.
GAYA – PITAPAKSHA MELA
Arond september the sleepy town
of Gaya is agog with people who come here for the famous Pitrapaksha mela or the
ancestor worship typified in Sraddha ritual. It is time for the Gayalis (the
descendants of Magga Brahmans who were once devotees of Shiva but later
converted to Vaishnavism) to be prepared for the vedic Sraddha ceremonies or the
pindan - a mandatory Hind rite that is supposed to bring salvation to the
departed soul. In the early Dharmasastras, Vishnu provides a list of over 50
tirthas but it proclaims that dead ancestors pray to God for a son who would
offer pinda (lymph of rice) to them at Gaya.
The tradition traces its history to the time of Buddha, who is believed to have
performed the first pindan here. Turning the pages of earlier history, one comes
across the Puranic legend that ascribes Gaya as one of the holiest spots of the
world. The Asura, named Gaya become so powerful that the gods felt threatened
and thus thought of eliminating him. As a precondition to his death, the Asura
demanded that be should be buried in the holiest spot of the world. This place
is Gaya.
CHHATH PUJA
Follows 6 days later where the
Sun God ‘SURYA’ is worshipped. The devotees who also take out a procession to
honor the Sun God offer Fresh paddy, sweets & fruits. Thousands of women, waist
deep in the holy waters of the Ganges, offer prayers at sunrise and sunset.
The Patliputra festival finally comes to an end with the SONEPUR FAIR, held in the month of Nov. This fair is the venue of Asias largest and most remarkable Cattle fairs which is organized on Kartik Purnima, the first full moon after Diwali.
MITHILA – MARRIAGE MARKET
What once used to be the debating ground scholars debating ground in Mithila has now become saurath Sabha or the Mithila marriage market near Madhubani. In the summer of June, Mithila Brahmins prefer to gather in the vast mango grove (thanks to the Raja, Raghav Singh, the Mithila ruler of Darbhanga for gifting the land for the ever gathering crowd of Mithila matchmakers) in the village of Surath to explore the possibilites, discuss horoscope and finally to negotiate marriages within the community but atleast five generations beyond the family.
The girl’s father is on the move trying to locate a prospective bridegroom and so in the Ghatak (middleman), all the more serious to earn commissions on marriage fixtures. Once the prospective families pass through the ordeal of question session and feel satisfied by the initial scrutiny of the horoscopes, they move on to the Panjikar (registrars) who verifies the records and credentials to ensure that matrimontial alliance was not being performed within the prohibited degrees (within the seventh generation on paternal side and the fifth on the maternal side). His satisfaction earns a talpatra (palm leaf certificate) marked in red symbolising ‘no objection certificate’ which permits the families to establish matrimonial alliance. The Panjikar too receives a token and he blesses the girl’s father, " May your daughter bathe in milk and bear many sons." The successful families finally call off the day with a visit to the nearby Shiva temple.
The people of Mithila are believed to have followed the Panji Prabhadha (system of recorded genealogy) since the fourteenth century. These records were maintained by the Panjikars, who were later to examine the validity and purity of marriage settlements. In fact one was supposed to be are of his ancestors names and a daily rite of Tarpan ensured that people offered oblations of water in the name of each ancestor upto six or seven generations. If one recalls the name of one’s acestors daily, one can not forget their names
SARHUL FESTIVALS
Sarhul is the most important festival for the tribals of Chotanagpur. It is celebrated with the advent of spring (February/March) when the sal tree is full bloom. These trees in the sacred grove are highly venerated and the festival centres around the holy spirits that dwell here. The focal point of the festival is to obtain a good harvest and hence appeasement of goddess of nature.
PATLIPUTRA FESTIVAL
This annual festival is held in the months of Oct-Nov. on a huge scale. It commences with Dussehra in Oct. and concludes with the Sonepur Fair.
Dussehra, celebrated for 10 days, is marked by the worshipping of goddess Durga for 9 days before finally immersing the goddess image on the 10th day. This is followed by the burning of effigies of the demon Ravana, accompanied by bursting of firecrackers. Thereafter follows DIWALI, the festival of lights, which celebrates the return of Lord Rama after 14 years of exile. Grand fireworks mark this festival.
MALAMASA MELA
Rajgir is the venue of this mela or fair, which is held here every three years. After every three years, the 13th month of the Indian calender, considered to be auspicious, is chosen for celebrating this fair.
BUDDHA AND MAHAVIR JAYANTI
Buddha Jayanti is celebrated in
the month of April/ May, when Buddhist from all over the world congregate at
Bodh Gaya and Rajgir to celebrate the birth of Lord Buddha.
Mahavir Jayanti is an important festival of the Jains, which is celebrated in the month of April. The sacred Parasnath hill, where 20 thirthankar are believed to have achieved salvation, hosts the celebrations of the Mahavir Jayanti