The festive season has just begun and the city gears up to celebrate the season with great zeal and enthusiasm. On one hand people are gearing up to welcome Lord Ganesha and on the other hand city is buzzing with preparations to celebrate Pola, Marbat.
With only few days left for Pola city artisans are all set to celebrate the day. Even the markets are hustling with the citizens to get their decorations and shopping done before the festivity.
Started in the year 1885 to protest against the British, the Marbat procession is unique to the Orange City and is a major attraction at the end of the holy month of Shravan. The Teli community would take small dolls out in procession after Pola would be celebrated. These dolls would be representative of all the diseases and evil spirits that people believed pestered them.
During pre-Independence, the dolls also became symbolic of the oppressive British regime which led to the creation of the Pili (Yellow) Marbat, a gigantic female figure connoting the pale skin of the foreigners and a Kali (Black) Marbat- symbolic of a woman from the royal Bhonsle clan who colluded with the British- and a male figure, Badgya, began to be paraded around before converging in a field to be burnt.
One can visit the high spirits of the people and the artists at every corner. Kids are overjoyed with all the hustle and bustle and their upcoming holidays.
The preparations of mandals have begun and different groups are ready to take efforts to set up a unique and beautiful mandals to welcome Lord Ganesha to their residence.
Soon the city will be echoing with the chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya…. And people will be drowning in spiritualism and devotion.
Get all the latest and current news Nagpur here. For an exclusive & live updates from the Nagpur, stay connected with THE LIVE NAGPUR.