Festivals of Malkanagiri

In Malkangiri district there is a mixed kind of festivals found throughout the district. Shivaratri, Holi and Ratha Yatra are amoung the other chief festivals of the Hindus of common people of Malkangiri District. Apart from these festivals that are celebrated in Malkangiri, there are few festivals which is celebrated by the particular people in different parts of Malkangiri district. Every year on the full moon day of Phalgun a great festivals is celebrated by the Harichand Baba and NaraNarayan Sevashram for three days. This is a great festivals for Bengalies on the bank of Potteru. Besides this another festival also takes place by the Kashi Krishana Ashram in the village of M.V.-7. On the Magha Purnima day, there is “Asta Prahari Nama Yagnya” by the bengalies in the Goura Gobinda Ashram at M.V.-3. This attracts large number of gatherings. Free food and accomodation were arranged for the devoties and visitors throughout the festival. In these Yatra one can find the traditional shade of the people of the Bengal. Apart from these festivals ” Bada Yatra” is celebrated by the tribes with full cheer and enthuziagum, and is the major festival of Malkangiri district which is celebrated every alternate year.

Bada Yatra:

The “Badajatra” of Malkangiri has been celebrated since time immemorialand it has no historical records. Just like other pujas, this puja is based on legends, folktales and people’s belief. Primerily the “Kanamraju, Potraju and Balraju, worshiped by Koya Tribe, has been linked with Lord Krishna, Bhima and Arjun. Bondas From this pint of view the main source of this Jatra has ben related either to the Mohabharata or to the killing of Jarasandha in Bhagavata. This Badajatra has been celebrated by the premitive tribal community such as Koya and Dravid. Koya belong to Ganda community and they treat and they treat Bhima as their forefather. This Jatra is celebrated every two years.

Bali Yatra:

This festival begins five days before the Bhadrapada full-moon and ends five days after it. The beginning of the festival is identified with the Nuakhia feast on which new rice is first eaten. Bali Yatra is an occasion of great rejoicing and men of all classes put on fancy dress and dance and sing. The festival takes its name from the ceremonial planting of various grains in wet sand brought from a nearby stream and placed in a structure called “Bali Ghara” or sand house.But it is an occasion for many other celebration also.

Chaitra Parba:

Chaitra parba is also called Pangal, a word which comes from South India. It lasts for the whole month of Chaitra. All the tribes go gay. Men and Boys go out into the forest for hunting. If they come back without anything, they cannot show their faces to women. Therefore no animal escapes the hunters. If they get nothing else they even kill a jackal. Women dance and sing whole day in the streets and in village commons. All motor vechicles are stopped several times on the road by streams of girls who dance and sing across the road. It is only few paise are paid that the vechicles are allowed to move. With the rise in prices this levy may have risen to rupees. A car going from or to Malkangiri may be stopped a dozen times.To witness a tribal dance for a few rupees is a very cheap entertainment.