The Bastar Dussehra, dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari, is celebrated in which state?

The Bastar Dussehra is a unique festival celebrated in the Bastar region of southern Chhattisgarh, with Jagdalpur as its centre. It is famous as one of the longest festivals in the world, as its rituals continue for about 75 days, from the month of Shravana to Ashvin.

Unlike the Dussehra celebrated in most of India, the Bastar Dussehra is not linked with Lord Rama or the killing of Ravana. Instead, it is dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari, the presiding deity of Bastar and the family deity of the former rulers of the region. Her main temple is at Dantewada. The festival is believed to have begun in the 15th century under the Kakatiya rulers of Bastar, and it combines the traditions of the royal family with those of the many tribal communities of the region, such as the Gonds, Murias, Marias, Halbas and Dhurwas. Each community has a special role in the rituals.

The festival includes many unique rituals. It begins with the Pat Jatra, the worship of a piece of wood used to build the chariot. In the Kachan Gadi ritual, a young girl, believed to be possessed by the goddess Kachan Devi, sits on a swing made of thorns and gives permission for the festival to begin. In the Jogi Bithai ritual, a man sits in meditation in a pit for nine days. The goddess's umbrella is carried in a huge wooden chariot (rath), built every year by tribal craftsmen and pulled by hundreds of people. The festival ends with the Muria Darbar, a gathering where tribal leaders discuss their problems with the authorities, a tradition from the time of the kings.

Other famous festivals of Chhattisgarh include the Madai festivals, the Goncha (Rath Yatra) of Bastar, Pola and Hareli.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Odisha is famous for the Rath Yatra of Puri and Durga Puja.
• ✗Jharkhand is known for tribal festivals such as Sarhul and Karam.
• ✗Telangana is known for Bathukamma and Bonalu.