Bastar: The world-famous Bastar Dussehra festival ended on Saturday with the performance of the Doli Vidaai ritual. This time the festival was celebrated for 77 days. The Doli Vidaai ritual was performed in the Jiya Dera temple on Geedam Road in Jagdalpur of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh from where the doli or the palanquin of goddess Mawali was taken out by the Matri Pujaries or worshippers to the Danteshwari temple on foot. Thousands of devotees, locals, BJP state president Kiran Singhdev and Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap showered petals on the carpet-laid route of the procession.
On the occasion, a Kalash Yatra or holy pitcher procession was taken out in the city to bid adieu to the goddess in bridal attire. A member of the erstwhile Bastar royal family, Kamalchand Bhanjdev, said on the fifth day of Navratri, Mawali Devi was invited to participate in the Dussehra festival. After Panchami, Mawali Devi's palanquin and Danteshwari Devi's umbrella were brought from Dantewada to Jiya Dera. The palanquin was given a farewell with the utmost respect on Saturday.
Jiya Baba, a priest appointed by the royal family, reached the Dantewada temple with the palanquin and umbrella. When the goddess comes from Danteshwari, the responsibility of administering the temple is handed over to someone else.
Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap said the arrival of over 1,500 deities from Bastar and neighbouring states this year set a record, adding grandeur to the Dussehra Festival.
BJP state president Kiran Singhdev said lakhs of tourists thronged Bastar this year. It's a momentous situation as over five lakh devotees reached Dantewada for a glimpse of Danteshwari Devi. He prayed to the goddess to shower blessings on the pilgrims who took the arduous journey and protect the state from evil forces.
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