Marbat festival: A continuous anger against evil
| Date :30-Aug-2019 |
By Rajendra Diwe :
The unique tradition has entered in 140th year
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” As mentioned by Gustav Mahler in this quote, the unique tradition of conducting Marbat procession on the very next day of Pola is like the preservation of fire against British rule. The procession of Kali Marbat started in 1881 and Pili Marbat in 1885 are successfully expressing their anger against all evils in society since last 139 years.
Gaurav Harde, President of Kali Marbat Utsav Committee states, “Shri Devasthan Panch Committee in Itwari Bardana Market near Nehru Putala has been maintaining the culture and tradition of taking procession of Kali Marbat since last 139 years. ‘Kali Marbat’ represents the Bhonsla queen Maharani Bankabai, who supported the British during the revolt of 1857 rather than restoring independence to Nagpur.” Prakash Gaurkar, President of Marbat Nagoba Devasthan says, “The procession of Pili Marbat was started by Tarnahe Teli Samaj in 1885 to oppose the unconventional rules and regulations of the British, which were considered to be social evils by them in those days.” “Teli Samaj has been following the custom to worship small statues of women and taken out of the house as a symbol of driving away disease and evil.
But during British rule, this custom was used as a way to protest against their atrocities,” he adds. Both Harde and Gaurkar have confirmed that they were carrying forward the legacy of ancestors by symbolically protesting against various evils prominent in the society. As a part of the celebrations, a Pili Marbat (yellow effigy) and a Kali Marbat (black effigy) are made at the respective temples in Nehru Putala and Jagnath Budhwari. Then these two effigies are taken through the streets of the entire Itwari market before they are put on fire at Naik Talao in the evening. It’s believed that these statues absorb the negativity and social evils when they are taken through the streets. And then the negativity and social evils are burnt along with the statues. After the procession, which goes on for several kms, the yellow and black statues meet at Nehru Putla Square before they are put on fire.
This meeting of statues is also celebrated by people as they dance and shower flower petals on the statues. Gaurav Harde explains, “The effigy of Kali Marbat is very huge. Artists Krishnarao Manthanwar, Sanjay Nagpure, Bhagwan Nanhe, Vijay Manthanwar, Sanjay Manthanwar, Sanjay Uttalwar, Arun Nagpure, Jitendra Gupta and Pintu Harde are making the effigy by using materials like bamboo sticks, bamboo, coloured paper, waste papers etc. The artists are preparing the effigy without taking any remuneration. The effigy’s face is angry, black face with huge body, big eyes, broad ears, long tongue, huge breast, long hairs and wearing lehanga. The Goddess like Marbat becomes a centre of attraction each year. Senior citizens have a faith that worshipping Kali Marbat fulfills all their desires.
They also believe Kali Marbat takes away all their worries, diseases and evils from their lives.” Gaurkar states, “Shende family is making the effigy of Pili Marbat since last four generations. The effigy in 1885 was prepared by Ganpatrao Shende, after which his son Bhimaji Shende took over and now Bhimaji’s son Gajananrao Shende prepares the statues.” Both Gaurkar and Harde mentions, “Just as we use blue colour to show dark complexion, in olden times, yellow was used to show fair complexion. Thus, Pili Marbat was a symbol of British or ‘gore’ as we called them.”
‘Kali Marbat’ celebration to begin today
Shri Devasthan Panch Committee, Itwari Bardana Market, Nehru Putala has organised main programme of ‘Kali Marbat’ celebration at its premises from August 30 t0 31. The programme will start with Pansupari programme at Shri Hanuman Mandir on August 30 from 7 pm to 9 pm. The procession of immersion of Kali Marbat will start on August 31 at 10 am. The Marbat procession will pass through the regular routes and will end at the premises opposite Ramkrishna Flour Mills, Bagadganj. Tanha Pola programme will be held at 5 pm. Executive committee members of Shri Devasthan Panch Committee including President, Milind Madne; Secretary, Devendra Harde; Treasurer, Nikhil Tidke; and members of Kali Marbat Festival Committee including Presidents, Gaurav Harde, Jitendra Gupta, Rahul Harde; Secretaries Nikhil Harde, Nilesh Mahajan, Prashant Gupta; treasurers, Nehul Gupta, Roshan Harde, Sachin Gupta, Subhan Qureshi; Vice Presidents, Rakesh Harde, Nikhil Gupta, Akash Mantnawar and others have appealed the citizens to attend the programmes in large numbers.
‘Pili Marbat’ procession on Aug 31
Marbat Nagoba Devasthan, Tarhane Teli Samaj has organised a grand procession of Pivali Marbat on August 31 at 9 am. Earlier, a programme of Pansupari will be held at Tarhane Teli Samaj Pivali Marbat on August 30 at 7 pm.
The procession will start after the pujan being performed by Deputy Mayor, Deepraj Pardikar; Ajaykumar Malaviya, Police Inspector, Tehsil Police Station. The procession will start from Pivali Marbat Nagoba Devi Devasthan Panch Committee, Jagnath Budhwari at 9 am.
The Marbat procession will pass through Panchpaoleshwar Shankar Mandir, Golibar Square, Bharat Mata square, Maskasaath, Nehru Putala where Pili Marbat will meet with Kali Marbat at 11 am and joint procession will start from Nehru Putala and
will pass through Marwadi Square, Mirchi Bazar, Amardeep Cinema, Shahid Chowk, Gandhi Putala, Badkas Chowk, Mahal, Kotwali, Gandhi Gate, Agresar Chowk, Ganjakhet Square, Golibar Square, Bharat Mata Square, Pivali Marbat chowk and will immerse at Tandapeth Naik Talao. President Prakash Gaurkar; Secretary, Vijay Khopde; Treasurer, Devidas Gabhane;
Joint Secretary, Kishore Malkar; Manohar Motghare, Sharad Takitkar, Devanand Ambagade, Chandrashekhar Deshmukh, Dharmendra Sathwane, Jaywant Takitkar, Bhushan P Khopde, Bhaskar Takitkar, Swanil Motghare, Shubham Gabhane, Nitin Gaurkhede, Kishore Khode, Shubham Gaurkar, Digambar Deshmukh, Kunal Motghare, Atul Bhute and others are working hard for the success.