Type Religious Festival Time 10 Days In March Location Dantewada, Chhattisgarh
A significant adivasi festival of Chhattisgarh, Madai is celebrated across the state with gaiety and fervour. Tribal communities venerate Goddess Danteshwari and unite her with local deities from various surrounding villages – about 500 approximately – in the month of March. Devotees bring the idols of the gods to the Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada and honour them for 10 days. They perform the Relo, Cheetal and masked dances and conclude the festivities with a grand feast of fruits and local specialties, along with brews made from the flowers of mahua trees.
The goddess’ reunion with her family is an occasion for people to get together with their loved ones and indulge in revelries. Residents of remote villages throng the markets that are set up during the festival to purchase a year’s supply of salt, spices, cooking oil and other house-hold supplies.
History
Madai was started by Purushottam Dev, the king of of Bastar in the late 13th century CE. It is said he began the tradition of worshipping Danteshwari and indulging in festivities to give the people a respite from the mundaneness of their daily lives. According to the Puranas, present-day Dantewada was the place where the teeth of goddess Sati were found. Hence, the name Dantewada (daant means teeth in Hindi). Danteshwari Temple is one of the 52 sacred Shaktipeeths in the country.
Orientation
The town of Dantewada is the headquarters of the eponymously-named district. It lies 345km south of Raipur, the state capital. More than 60 per cent of the population of the district is adivasi. While there are some accommodation options in the city, Jagdalpur, 84km away, has more hotels. The most convenient way to reach Dantewada is by taking a train or bus from Raipur. Buses are also available from Durg and Bilaspur.
The Festival
The festival of Madai begins in Bastar in the month of December, when the Gond tribes worship their local deity, Cheri-Chher-Kin. The neighbouring villages of Kanker, Narayanpur, Antragrah, Bhanupra-tappur, Keshkal, Bhopalpattnam and Kondagaon worship their respective deities in the following months.
The 10-day festival begins in Dantewada on the day of Shivaratri. It is called Phagun Madai as it falls in the Hindu calendar month of Phagun (February–March). Grand processions from Bastar, Narayanpur and other villages gather at the Danteshwari Temple on the day of Shivaratri. Tribal men and women dressed up in dhotis and saris respectively carry prayer flags and dance on the streets to the beats of dhols and nagadas. They observe a day-long fast and break it after the evening prayers.
Over the next nine days, the tribals worship goddess Danteshwari in nine different forms – Brahma-charini, Chandraghanta, Kumanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Bhadragauri and Siddhidatri. On the ninth day, the ritual of holika dahan is observed. This is, however, different from the one celebrated during the Hindu festival of Holi. Folklore has it that a local princess had immolated herself to escape from rapists. The bonfire is held to honour her. After this, devotees smear abeer (coloured powder) on each other and end the festivities with an ela-borate feast.
Things to See
A major tourist hotspot, Bastar is about 87km northeast of Dantewada. According to mythology, Bastar is the site of the Dandakaranya forest, which Lord Rama had passed through during his exile and also where Sage Valmiki’s ashram used to be. The stretch from Dantewada to Bastar is dotted with waterfalls and natural caves. Don’t miss the horseshoe-shaped Chitrakoot Waterfall, the widest waterfall in India and the 1,300-m-long Kutumsar Cave on the outskirts of Bastar. The Bastar Palace of the Kakatiya Dynasty in Jagdalpur is also worth visiting.
Shopping
There are no fancy malls or huge market complexes in Dantewada or Bastar, but local markets are great for buying indigenous handicrafts. Intricately-carved wooden combs called muria are much in demand. According to local customs, a young man gives this comb to a woman he is interested in. The number of combs in a woman’s hair indicates the number of proposals she has received. After marriage, she returns all the combs and wears only the one her husband gave her. Dhokra handicrafts (products made from metal casting) are popular souvenirs; as are clothes decorated with marwahi embroidery. Many local artefacts can also be found at the City Centre Mall in Raipur.
Where to Stay
Jagdalpur has many good hotels. Bastar Jungle Resort (Cell: 09425226506, 09425259129; Tariff: ₹6,850) has eight cottages with open-air showers, a multi-cuisine dining hall and a bar. It offers treks and birding tours. Slightly away from the city, on Chitrakote Road, is Naman Bastar Resort (Cell: 09406070895, 09669970895; Tariff: ₹3,810–5,310, with two meals). It has clean rooms, a restaurant and a swimming pool. The restaurant serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.
In Dantewada
The only good place to stay in Dantewada is Madhuban Hotel & Restaurant (Cell: 09479272737; Tariff: ₹550–1,200), located near the PWD Rest House. It offers 24 rooms and a restaurant.
Where to Eat
The dhabas on the state and national highways are known for serving tasty food. Custard apple is found in abundance here, as are local brews made from mahua trees and landa (rice wine). They are usually consumed with a spicy mix of salt and red chilly powder. You can also enjoy aamat, a tangy soup made with kareel (bamboo shoots) in Chhattisgarh.
Fast Facts
Tourist Office: Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, 2nd Floor, Udyog Bhavan, Ring Road No. 1, Telibandha, Raipur. Tel: 0771-4224600
STD code 0771
Getting There
Air Raipur Airport offers connectivity
to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhopal and Nagpur. Follow NH43 via Keskal and Kondagaon to Jagdalpur (285km/ 6hrs), the district headquarters of Bastar. Taxis cost ₹5–8 per km. Contact Rahul Car Rental (Cell: 09669411411)
Rail Raipur and Bilaspur railway stations are linked to all major metros and cities. Taxi as above
Road NH43 connects Raipur to Jagdalpur and Bilaspur. Excellent private express buses run on this route